


Funny How Love Is

by BambiRex



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Coming Out, Crushes, Drinking, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Happy Ending, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Internalized Homophobia, Mild Language, Modern AU, Panic Attacks, Prom, References to bullying, Secret Relationship, Sex Talk, Sexuality Crisis, ballet dancer!freddie, cheerleader!Regina, everyone is kind of an asshole at first, fem!queen, it's not going to be very explicit but it's still there, king!au, nerd!brianna, other tags will be added later on, varsity player!joan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-01-05 15:55:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 50
Words: 104,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21211169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BambiRex/pseuds/BambiRex
Summary: Your typical High School!AU with pretentious gay girls.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm diving into unfamiliar waters here, this is my first time writing in a high school setting. This is based on a prompt I got on my Tumblr by a lovely anon!
> 
> Feedback (especially comments) is very much appreciated! :))

What Brianna absolutely fucking hated about football games, is how mind-bogglingly loud they were.

The match hasn’t even started yet, and people were already screaming at the top of their lungs; fans of the Leroy Brown’s High varsity team yelling obscenities to the fans of the rival school’s team, and vice versa; loud chatting that was more like shouting into each other’s ears since that was the only way one could communicate here; and someone just blew a fucking airhorn of all things, and Brianna really wanted to stand up and just leave. But she’s promised Joan, her best friend, that she’s going to come and see her play. So that was what she was going to do, even if her eardrums burst at the end.

She felt kind of stupid coming here by herself-everyone came in smaller or larger groups, or at least as a couple. What kind of loser goes to watch a varsity game all by herself?

Well, Brianna definitely was that loser, thanks to the fact Joan Deacon, the quarterback of the Brown Lions was literally her only friend, and she was about to step onto the field in a matter of minutes, meaning Brianna had to make peace with getting smushed between a flock of horny fratboys who couldn’t decide whether they wanted to drool over the female varsity team or the cheerleaders more.

Speaking of the latter, Brianna couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes and letting out a soft groan when the cheerleaders spilled out onto the field, the guys next to Brianna letting out an animalistic howl in response. Brianna gritted her teeth, trying really hard not to throw up.

There was just something about cheerleaders, that Brianna hated with a burning passion. Most of them were arrogant, spoiled rich girls who seemed to speak a completely different language than everyone else at school, and they clearly thought they were above all just because they were hot.

Regina Taylor, the captain of the Brown Pom-Poms- honestly…what was it with schools having to slap the adjectives in their title onto literally everything? Why did everything have to be fucking brown!?- turned towards the bleachers, a bright smile on her stupid, gorgeous face as she waved, eliciting shrieks and yells and "I love you, Regina”s from the audience and Brianna felt her face contort into a painful grimace.

Alright, maybe she didn’t really hate cheerleaders. Not all of them.

But she definitely, without a doubt, hated the guts of one Regina Madelaine Taylor.

There was just something about her that frustrated Brianna to no end. She looked like a literal angel, and had the personality of a fire demon. She was mean and so, so full of herself, it showed in the way she carried herself across the corridors, everyone scurrying out of her way when she marched down with her lackies, that obedient lapdog Mercury always on her heels. Brianna didn’t have anything against that one, she just thought she was kind of pathetic. Well, honestly, Regina was the most pathetic out of all of them. Girls like these had to have some sort of deep-rooted self-esteem issues to act like this all the time…not like Brianna would have felt sorry for her if that were true. Regina was a typical, empty-headed blonde queen bee from a cheap teen movie from the early 2000’s, and those always got what they deserved in the end. This thought gave Brianna a peace of mind at least.

The Pom-Poms stood into formation, which meant the match will start soon. Thank God. The sooner it starts, the faster this whole torture is over.

The players flooded out from the separated area they’ve been preparing in up until this point, and the roar coming from the audience was even more ear-shattering then when the cheerleaders showed up and Brianna had the urge to cover her ears with her hands. Just why does everybody have to shout all the time!?

Joan really seemed to be in her element today, grinning brightly, her teammates patting her on the back. She was their secret weapon: everyone thought it was the striker, but actually, the quarterback was the one who managed to bring some great fresh blood into this godforsaken, boring game. And Joan was their star, if a little socially awkward. Well, she was Brianna’s best friend for a reason.

Soon, the match started, and it was just even more chaos from then on. Brianna never knew, who was on what team, everyone seemed to be tangled up with each other to the point of not being able to be separated anymore, and the fact, that both school’s uniform was brown (of course it was, it made sense for the Leroy Brown’s College at least), with only a little bit of difference in the shades was clearly not helping either. She probably wouldn’t even had recognized her best friend, if she didn’t have "Deacon” splattered across her back in giant, bold letters.

Brianna had to admit, though, that it was en exciting game, more than usual. The other team was good, not exactly giving an easy time to the Lions; the ball did a lot of back and forth between the players of the two teams, which was a nice change, since usually, the Lions topped everyone. Well, now it seemed to be sort of the other way around, and Brianna found herself chewing on her nails, her legs bouncing as she rooted for their own team to rise up again.

She glanced over to the cheerleaders who went buckwild, clearly trying to urge the Lions on more. Regina was one hell of an elemental force on top of that pyramid, Brianna had to admit. She looked really good up there. Even though Brianna kind of hoped she would fall on her face just once, but it was highly unlikely. Regina was simply that good, no one could deny that. Not even Brianna.

Things seemed to get spiced up a little bit on the field, the Lions coming up, catching up to the other team, and it was to no one’s surprise, that they could mostly thank Joan for that, who seemed to carry this entire match on her shoulders. Again. Brianna grinned proudly. There was no way, they are going to lose like this. It was a hard match, yes, but with Joan on the team? That other school never really stood a chance.

Her smugness was way too soon, apparently, because only a few seconds after a beautiful goal was delivered by the Lions, someone from the other team, one that was built like a shit brickhouse kicked Joan in the back with full force, essentially sending her flying across the field and landing in a very painful-looking twisted position.

The audience shrieked, and Brianna clamped her hand over her mouth, her face going ghostly pale. The referee stopped the game immediately, and the minute she crouched down next to the quarterback, all hell broke loose.

It was basically a big blur from then on; everyone was screaming, running around either calling for an ambulance or just plain yelling, the field swimming with various people. Brianna tried to run down to her friend, but her way was blocked, and now she was the one that was screaming, her throat going hoarse as she begged to be let closer, but nothing happened. She was trapped between the sea of people helplessly, not even being able to see whether her best friend got back on her feet or not.

Joan didn’t get back on her feet, and she wasn’t going to do that for a few days.

The kick was so masterfully delivered, that it caused Joan to suffer a nice little spinal injury. It was only minor, meaning she didn’t lose the ability to walk at least, but it was clear, she wasn’t going back to playing for a while.

"I’m just glad that chick got kicked out of the team. I heard she’s probably gonna be suspended from school altogether.” Brianna mused, trying to comfort her friend a little, but Joan seemed absolutely devastated.

"Well, I hope she’s happy that the rival team lost its quarterback.” Joan shrugged, wincing from the pain that little movement caused her. Her shoulders, back, and even her legs were aching and numb, and even though she knew she wasn’t going to end up paralysed, she still couldn’t exactly look on the bright side. Who knows, how long was she going to be like this? From what she’s heard, even minor injuries could cause players to be sidetracked for long months, and that thought was anything but comforting.

"They didn’t lose you, the doc said you’re going to recover.” Brianna tried to cheer her up, throwing a ratty looking, old teddy bear at her but Joan just growled, looking at the plush toy like it was the one who kicked her into this miserable state.

"I just wish I could leave this place soon. I fucking hate hospitals.” She murmured, sinking deeper into the pillows. Brianna shot her an empathetic little smile.

"Your Mum visits you a lot, right?”

Joan scoffed with a bitter expression, trying to turn her head but she gave up when the pain shot arrows all over her body, resorting to staring at the ceiling instead.

"She only comes here to cry and freak out. Not exactly helpful.”

"What about me? Am I helpful?” Brianna asked softly, gently squeezing her friend’s hand, smiling when Joan’s fingers weakly wrapped around hers.

"Yeah, you’re fine.”

Brianna laughed. This was pretty flattering, and it was definitely the kindest thing Joan had to say now. Or, ever, really.

She left Joan’s room with the promise of sending her notes from the classes she needed to skip for the upcoming few days, Joan rumbling something akin to a thank you before she fell into something Brianna has jokingly called her ,,rage-nap.”

Brianna almost fell asleep on the bus on the ride home, but a little ding coming from her phone made her snap back into reality. She pulled it out of her pocket, opening her Messenger with a little frown, essentially spluttering and choking on her own saliva when she saw who texted her.

_ Hey. Heard you were good in Physics and stuff. Kinda need a tutor, how much would it be? _

It was the subject of all of her worst nightmares, Regina Taylor. 

Brianna stared at the phone for long minutes. She almost missed her stop, jumping off the bus the very last minute, she was so dumbfounded.

What in the actual, freaking fucking hell.

She considered not texting back altogether-she didn’t even realize Regina knew about her existence. She was just a "teacher’s pet nerd”, someone who was clearly below someone like Regina, essentially at the very bottom of the school’s foodchain. Or at least that was what Taylor and her lackies were thinking of her and other students like her.

Brianna spent two hours thinking of a sassy comeback, something that would be a very soft and very clever "fuck yourself”, but no matter how hard she was squeezing her brain, she couldn’t come up with anything.

She started typing, deciding to settle for a more polite decline, since she wasn’t like those girls, right?

But just as she was about to press send, an ugly little thought flared up inside her brain, and she started typing with fervor, sending her finalized message before she could stop herself.

_ Carry my stuff around and bring me lunch everyday (i’m vegetarian btw) and we have a deal _

_ Bri _

She bit the inside of her mouth, her cheeks flaming as she re-read her text. Fuck. This was exactly something like Regina would say to someone, and that’s exactly what she wanted to avoid at all costs. But she wasn’t exactly in a good mood, seeing her best friend suffer because of some asshole who couldn’t handle a defeat, and she also hated Regina like the black plague, and these emotions all combining together managed to set her off a little. Now here she was, offering her services in exchange of using the school’s most popular girl as her personal slave. God, this was so wrong.

She was about to send another text, either apologizing for her rashness or to come up with a shitty excuse, like she didn’t actually want to to send this to Regina but to someone else, but before she could do any of these, her phone pinged, blinking with a new message from Regina:

_ k…thx _

Brianna expected to get told to go to hell, not Regina submitting so easily and accepting the defeat. Maybe this was one of her cruel pranks, and eventually, Brianna is going to be the one who ends up sucking on a huge proverbial dick, as a revenge for even daring to write something like this to the queen bee herself.

She lied back on the bed with a heavy sigh. This weekend was just fantastic. Her best friend suffers an injury which leaves her unable to do what she likes the most in the word, and Brianna has to watch her wallow in her pain and self-pity, and now she clearly managed to piss of Regina Taylor, which meant, like, a public beheading at least. And if she didn’t piss her off, then, she will still have to tutor that annoying, prissy chihuahua. None of these outcomes seemed very positive to her.

Her phone buzzed again, and she swallowed thickly. This must be Regina sending her a death threat or something. 

She was suprised to see, that it was Joan, actually, basically screaming through text:

_ THE DOC JUST SAID I NEED THERAPY AND GUESS FUCKING WHAT _

Uh-oh. Something was clearly very wrong. Brianna started typing, chewing on her bottom lip nervously.

_ What? _

The little dots were popping up and down for a while, indicating Joan was either writing a really long response, or she was so mad she didn’t find the right keys. It was probably the latter.

_ BALLET _

_ I HAVE TO DO FUCKING BALLET DUDE _

Brianna let out a bitter sounding little chuckle. It seemed to be one of those days, when more and more shit seemed to pile up for the both of them. 

Well, nothing new, at least. They called themselves losers for a reason.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's take a glimpse at how Regina reacted to Brianna's conditions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little short, and I'm really sorry but I'm basically swimming in schoolwork. I'm not sure how regular the updates will be, but I'll try my best!

Regina almost jumped out of her skin when she heard that unmistakable "you’re in deep shit now” giggle right into her ear.

She twisted her torso around to swat at Freddie, making her yelp and then just burst into an even more out-stretched giggling fit.

"May just made you her bitch, you realize that, darling?” Freddie laughed, screaming when a stuffed bunny was thrown right into her face.

"Shut up.” Regina growled, looking down at the phone in her hands as if she wanted to burn holes in it with her eyes. She kind of did, actually: she did agree to essentially act like a slave to that lanky nerd in order to get the help she needed. So feeling like slamming her phone against the wall was kind of justified in her opinion.

Freddie finally stopped wheezing, though she was still wearing a shit-eating grin, clearly enjoying the drama this ordeal promised.

"And you’re seriously going to do it?” She asked, stretching her legs out on the bed, reaching forward to massage an aching knot in her thigh, a result of completely overworking herself during her last ballet practice.

Regina scoffed, falling back on the bed with a dramatic sigh, landing next to her friend who patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"I’m failing Physics, big time. And I need to have a high score to keep my position in the Pom Poms.”

Freddie nodded, rolling onto her side to face her.

"And you think May could really help?”

"She’s won some kind of scientific contest, dude.” Regina chuckled bitterly, grabbing the stuffed bunny she threw at Freddie earlier, clutching it close to her chest.

"If there’s someone who could actually be a decent tutor, it’s her.”

Freddie snuggled closer, and the two girls shared each other’s warmth. A lot of people thought they were dating, but their relationship was always platonic, with a strong, sister-like bond between them. So cuddling up to each other was the most natural thing in the world. Freddie was openly gay, she came out about a year ago, but that didn’t alter her relationship with her best friend, thankfully, who claimed to be one-hundred percent straight, though Freddie had her doubts about that.

"Isn’t she friends with Deacon? The one who got kicked during the match on Friday?” Freddie asked nonchalantly, idly playing with her own fingers, and Regina chuckled.

"You mean your crush?”  
Freddie let out an offended little gasp, but her cheeks turned crimson red right away, blowing her cover. Regina let out a soft laugh, patting Freddie’s cheek.

"Come on, it’s so obvious. You basically drool everytime you see her. And don’t even lie to me about watching the games because of me. I know you’re really there for her.”

"That is not true.” Freddie huffed, brushing a stray piece of hair out of her face with a dramatic movement. "She’s lame.”

"And muscular. And tall.” Regina mused, grinning when Freddie blushed even deeper. Now it was the ballerina’s turn to give her friend a shove.

"Shut up! I’m not crushing on her at all. She’s an awkward dingus. Just like your new friend, Einstein.”

Regina groaned at that, grabbing a pillow and covering her face with it.

"What a fucking bitch…” She growled into the pillow, making Freddie chuckle again.

"Remind me to wear some kind of protective gear on Monday, because there will certainly be explosions when you guys meet.”

Regina finally pulled the pillow off her head, her face breaking out into a contorted grimace.

"I’m going to kill her.” The blonde growled. Freddie tutted softly.

"You can’t, you just said you’re in dire need of a tutoring. If you kill her, you’ll fail.”

Regina scoffed. "Wow, thanks for the support. What would I do without you?”

"You would die.” Freddie mused in a sing-song voice, eliciting a chuckle from her friend.

"Yeah, probably.”

Freddie spent the night at Regina’s, bubbling about completely nonsense topics for hours, and while Regina listened to her all the way, she wasn’t one-hundred percent present.

This whole thing with that annoying teacher’s pet Brianna May was a mess, a big fucking mess that was bound to end up in even more chaos. 

Regina couldn’t exactly mask her disdain when it came to that one: May clearly thought she was above everyone just because she was smart, looking down on Regina and Freddie and the like, very obviously thinking they were just simpletons compared to her, very much below her high and mighty attitude.

God, Regina just wanted to slap her across her stupid, pretty face. She couldn’t help but tense up whenever she saw the tall girl walking down the hallway, her disdain towards everyone who wasn’t her or her best friend Deacon visible on her face, clutching some stupid book about astrophysics against her chest like it was the only thing she could feel some morsel of respect towards. Well, that probably wasn’t far from the truth.

And Regina hated the thought of listening to that stupid, silky smooth voice. She’s probably going to be very condescending towards Regina, judging her for sucking at Physics and generally not being very interested in that side of science. Regina could already see that constipated look on her face, could hear the exasperated sigh when Regina won’t understand something right away, and the blonde could feel her cheeks already flaming with embarrassment.

Not to mention –if the fact that she has to rely on Brianna May for help wasn’t enough torture in itself- she literally just asked Regina to follow her around, carrying her stuff and bringing her food, like she was some slave. For someone who always insisted on being so high and mighty and not lowering herself down onto the "mean girls’” level, she sure as hell had the tendency to act like a fucking bully.

Regina spent most of the night tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling or swatting at Freddie when the ballerina started snoring in her sleep, her already annoyed brain not being able to handle anything but complete silence now.

Monday was going to be one hell of an awkward fucking day, that was for sure.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monday has arrived, folks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The updates are probably going to be really slow, because exams are slowly coming up, so sorry in advance.
> 
> Feedback-as always-is very much appreciated :)))

Brianna contemplated just skipping school altogether and staying home instead.

Why the hell should she go in-just to get publicly beheaded? Because she was pretty sure, that the moment she shows her face at the front gate, an army of angry cheerleaders will tear her into a million pieces, like a bunch of rabid dogs. How would this not happen, when she definitely, without a doubt, managed to piss of Regina fucking Taylor?

She rode the bus like she was going to her own execution, head hung low and face ghostly pale, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. She really messed up, letting her disapproval of Regina and her clique cloud her judgement and sending that absolutely asinine text. That one would make anyone lose their right mind, not to mention someone like Taylor.

Brianna almost forgot to get off at her stop, scrambling off the seat in the very last minute, the door of the bus almost closing on her as she jumped off. God, she was a mess already, and she hasn’t even had to look into those gorgeous, sky-blue eyes just yet…

She shook her head to clear them off of those weird thoughts. Yeah, okay, Regina was pretty, but not that pretty, not with an attitude like the one she had. Brianna didn’t find her that attractive, she just aknowledged that she wasn’t ugly, that’s all…

She really wished Joan would be here now. Standing off against Taylor would be so much easier if her best friend could back her up a bit, but she still had to stay at the hospital for a few more days, essentially leaving Brianna behind to deal with the mess (that she actually made herself, mind her).

The huge building looked even more intimidating now, knowing what was awaiting her inside. She really shoud just turn on her heels and leave. Maybe she could transfer to somewhere else. She has really good grades and won a big competition, so any school would welcome her with open arms, right?

Brianna was so lost in her thoughts of escaping that she barely realized that she was already inside. Now it would be way too weird to run away. 

She quickly checked her phone for any death-threats, but nothing of the sort has arrived yet. Well, Taylor will probably strike when she least expects it, not announcing her arrival, but instead pouncing at her from behind and…

"Hey.”

Brianna dropped her book the second she heard that annoying, familiar voice, startling her just enough to make a complete fool out of herself (again). She quickly gathered it up, her cheeks red and flaming in embarrassment as she stood up to her full height again, looking down into the eyes of her sworn enemy.

"Hi.” She croaked, mentally damning herself for being such an imbecile. Why the hell can’t she be so bloody self-confident like Taylor and her friends!?

Regina cleared her throat a little awkwardly, looking at anywhere but Brianna. She didn’t look like she was about to murder the taller girl just yet, but Brianna knew it was smarter to be cautious around small creatures-they could be quite vicious, even when you don’t expect it.

"Can we have our…uh. Lesson, today?” Regina squeezed out from between gritted teeth, visibly cringing. She has never been this awkward, and Brianna would have lied if she said that this didn’t fill her with some satisfaction.

"Erm, yeah, sure. Why not?” Brianna wanted to slap herself. Her voice was at least an octave higher than usual, and she really didn’t want to seem scared. No, she’s definitely not going to submit to someone like Regina. Not to mention, if the cheerleader won’t take revenge on her, she still has the upper hand, so to speak.

"My last class ends at 2.” She continued, straightening her back a little. She almost couldn’t fight back a smug grin that threatened to spread out on her face, upon noticing from this close, just how much shorter Regina was.

"Fine with me.” Regina answered matter of factly, even shrugging like she couldn’t care less about the whole deal. But she clearly did care, otherwise she wouldn’t turn to Brianna of all people for help. She wouldn’t ,,sink down” to the nerds’ level.

"Let’s meet up at the Physics room, then.” Brianna couldn’t help but enjoy standing above Regina, both physically and proverbially. Oh, how the tables have turned.

Regina just nodded, but there was a spark in her eyes that didn’t promise anything good to come. She looked up at Brianna defiantly.

"Should I carry your backpack, your majesty?” Regina mocked, doing a half-assed bow just to make Brianna feel worse. It worked, to an extent, because Brianna blushed deeply in embarrassment, looking like she wanted the Earth to open underneath her and swallow her whole.

"Or you want your lunch instead?” Regina growled, the smug smirk replaced with a genuinely angry expression, fishing a container out of her bag and basically throwing it at Brianna.

"Some home-made salad, but I might have spit into it.” She added, the fire in her eyes just burning even brighter. Brianna’s embarrassment melted away instantly, to be replaced by frustration and anger.

"You know, you can go and fail your class all you want, you air-head. You don’t have a chance without me.”

Brianna surprised even herself as she stepped closer on autopilot, towering over Regina. The blonde didn’t seem to back down, though, instead standing her ground and snarling back up at her, looking like a very angry (but somehow still cute) puppy.  
"So if you want my help, you’re gonna experience what it’s like to be someone like me. Understood?”

The air basically froze around them; it wasn’t surprising that everyone in the hallway stopped to watch the scene unfold, some of them already taking out their phones in case a cat-fight breaks out. 

But Regina and Brianna didn’t even care about the hushed whispers: they could only see each other, half-covered in a red fog that filled their pent up brains, hands balled into fists against their sides, and if looks could kill, both of them would have dropped dead right there.

Regina broke out of her angry trance with a smirk, licking her lips like a cat that just got the cream.

"You’re going to pay for this one day, May.”

"Can’t wait.” Brianna smirked back, pushing her backpack into Regina’s hands with way more strength than it was necessary.

"Third floor.” She instructed with a little wave, and Regina said something that wouldn’t have been out of place in a Tarantino movie. She started marching towards the stairs with an agry huff, already contemplating ways she could murder Brianna and how to make it look like an accident.

Brianna followed her with a satisifed smirk. Finally, she stood up for herself and against the mean girls. Who’s the loser now?

Freddie let out a sympathetic little whine. This was a tad bit too much. Brianna was acting like a fucking tyrant, and then she’s surprised when people call her an annoying asshole!?

She had half the mind to interfere and save her friend from that miserable situation, but actually, Regina seemed to be handling it pretty well. Not to mention, it was probably best to stay out of harm’s way.

As the crowd slowly started spilling away now that the main attraction was gone, she also turned around to go to her next class when she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

She turned around, coming face to face with her ballet instructor who seemed much more serious than usual, causing Freddie’s heart to drop.

"Ms. Lawrence…?”

"Freddie, do you have a minute?” She asked, already pulling Freddie aside. Freddie nodded coyly, already buzzing with nerves. What the hell did she do this time? She honestly couldn’t remember. She was an absolute angel in the past few weeks.

"You’re one of my best students, and I trust you a lot.” Ms. Lawrence started, and Freddie couldn’t help the giddy smile on her face at that.

"I was called from the hospital this morning. A student of our school is in there, injured, but she’s doing better now so she can probably come home earlier, maybe even today.”

Freddie frowned. She had absolutely no idea, what this had to do with her being a good ballet dancer.

"She needs light physical therapy, and they advised her to do ballet until she can make a full recovery.”

Freddie nodded, still a little dumbfounded. Ms. Lawrence smiled softly, patting Freddie’s shoulder.

"I told them I already have a great student that could help her. My best one.”

Freddie’s jaw dropped open, her eyes widening as she processed. Is this what she thinks it is?

"Are you saying that…”

"You’re going to help her.”

Freddie’s breath all but stuck in her throat. On one hand, this was a great honor, but on the other, it would just take more of her precious time away, decreasing the amount of energy she could use for her own practice and studies. But if Ms. Lawrence put her mind to something, it was impossible to talk her out of it, and she seemed pretty determined about handing this task to Freddie.

"Alright…” Freddie said with an exasperated sigh, not really having the courage to back down. Also, this could help her achieve some really good credits, maybe enough for a nice little scholarship…

"Who’s that student?” Freddie asked. Well, whoever it is, she’s not going to step back, she really needs those good points, actually. But still. She had quite the strange feeling about this whole deal.

"Joan Deacon. The quarterback who got kicked on Friday.”

Thank God Ms. Lawrence still had her hand on her shoulder, essentially keeping her up, otherwise she would have passed out right there.

_ Oh my God._

_ Oh my freaking-fucking God. _


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We had Regina and Brianna facing off in the previous chapter: now it's time for Freddie and Joan to meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter with angry little brats squaring up :DD
> 
> Feedback is much appreciated, as always! :))

The surgery went really well, so well in fact, that Joan could leave the hospital much sooner than originally planned: she was supposed to spend the whole week in the hospital, but the doctor cheerfully told her the day before, that she could leave on Monday.

Joan was extremely happy about that; despite only spending a few days in the hospital, she was already fed up with it to no end, especially with the disgusting, bland food, that Joan doubted was even fit for human consumption. Spending most of her time alone also wasn’t a fun experience, and call her a nerd all you want, but she hated the idea of missing too much schooltime.

Her satisifed grin quickly turned sour when the doctor told her that she can’t actually attend any class on Monday, because they still need to run a few tests on her in the morning, and that she can only leave in the afternoon.

The doctor also reminded her, that her first physical therapy also to be taken place on Monday, which meant…ballet.

Honestly, given all this information, Joan actually wished to stay some more in the hospital.

Having to use crutches and being sidelined for god knows how long will be humiliating enough; why the hell did they need to make her life even more miserable with putting her in a fucking tutu!? And no, she didn’t care that she probably won’t have to wear a tutu; the thought of doing piruettes with her buff, varsity player body was enough to send her into complete melancholy.

Joan really wished for the girl who kicked her during the game to shit hedgehogs for the rest of her life: maybe she’s never going to be able to go back on the field, and on top of that, she could spin around and make a complete idiot out of herself for an unknown amount of time.

Just her luck.

"Mum, don’t. I don’t need you to help me.”

Joan growled as she opened the door of the car, struggling with her crutches, all the while swearing under her breath like a sailor.

"Are you sure, love?” Lillian asked, her voice full of worry. "At least let me help you out of the car…”

"Mum, stop treating me like I’m a total wreck!” Joan huffed, finally able to slide out of the car, trying not to sob at the pain that flared across her lower back at every single movement. Her entire face was red with the exertion and the humiliation as she scrambled to her feet, trying to avoid her mother’s eyes. She knew they were filled with tears of sympathy anyways, and she didn’t need more pity today.

"You’ll call me if anything happens, right?” Lillian asked softly, and Joan nodded quickly, straightening her back as much as she could without passing out from the pain.

"Sure thing. But stop worrying so much, Mum. I’m okay.”

Her mother clearly had her doubts about that, but at least she stopped knocking it. Joan could see that she didn’t turn on the car until she reached the building (which was a much longer and slower process than usual, thanks to her handicap). She rolled her eyes. Yeah, okay, mothers always worried about their kids, and Joan must have seemed extra pathetic like that, but still. This just made her feel even more embarrassed.

Thank god, the ballet room was at ground level. Climbing the stairs would have surely killed her on the spot, and she hated elevators with a burning passion. She had a sad feeling that she needed to get used to them in the upcoming few months (or even longer than that).

She hasn’t even reached the room when Ms. Lawrence, the ballet instructor appeared seemingly out of nowhere, essentially scaring the shit out of Joan. That woman had the insane ability of randomly popping up and giving heart attacks to students, even though she was just a cute, petite lady. Though Joan has heard her shout before, so she could be really fierce if she wanted to.

"Joan! How are you feeling?” She chirped, way too cheerful, given the fact Joan was limping forward, leaning on crutches like some old lady, but well. Dancers were weird.

"Fine.” Joan lied, even forcing a little smile onto her face. She should at least try and be nice to Ms. Lawrence, since they are going to spend quite a lot of time together.

"Do you need help?” The teacher asked, and Joan shook her head vigorously.

"No, thank you. I’m still getting used to the crutches, but I’m managing.” Joan tried to keep her voice as polite as possible. Ms. Lawrence seemed to buy her bullshit right away.

"Alright, so today we’re going to start with very easy moves. Just getting to know what ballet is, you know?” Ms. Lawrence babbled, while Joan tried to limp as gracefully as possible.

"Your teacher is an adorable little thing, and so talented. She’s going to help you get better in no time.”

Joan stopped dead in her tracks, the crutches screaming against the tiles of the floor as she halted, and it would have been almost comical, if Joan wasn’t already burying herself alive internally.

"Wait…I thought you were going to be my teacher.” Joan felt her blood-pressure rise, and she took a few breaths, trying to prevent a stroke from happening. Ms. Lawrence really assigned this task to an "adorable little thing”, which indicated, that whoever it was, it was probably another student, and this thought didn’t exactly make Joan feel better.

"No, unfortunately my schedule is way too packed. But she’s my best student, and…oh, look, there she is!”

Joan wanted to pass out the second the girl appeared, prancing out of the ballet room, already in practice get-up.

_ Hell to the fucking no._

Freddie Mercury. Of course. Because almost breaking her spine, being sidelined and having to sashay wasn’t enough torture already. No, this experience just had to be topped with that empty-headed bimbo, the most loyal "soldier” of Regina Taylor’s clique. God, this was getting worse and worse.

Joan stared stubbornly at the floor, wishing for it to open and just swallow her whole, so she couldn’t see Mercury’s face that resembled an overripe tomato with how red it was, looking one second away from just straight up passing out right there.

"Well, I’m really sorry, but I have to run. Freddie, go easy on her.” Ms. Lawrence declared, already turning on her heels and leaving them, seemingly completely oblivious to the catastrophe that will ensue.

Freddie cleared her throat awkwardly, and Joan shuddered. God, even the way she was clearing her throat was annoying.

"Uhm…let’s go inside.” Freddie squeezed out lamely, turning an even deeper shade of red, and Joan was pretty sure her head is gonna explode at this rate.

"Do you need help, or…”

"No.” Joan growled, marching forward, almost tripping Freddie over with her crutches in her haste. Her back was screaming with her sudden movements, but she gritted her teeth, steeling herself. She’s not going to show any sign of weakness in front of this girl.

She was laughing hysterically inside her head when she stumbled inside the ballet room: it was exactly how she imagined it in her worst nightmares, a large mirror covering the entire wall so she could stare at her miserable reflection, a fake crystal chandelier hanging delicately above her head. So bourgeois, so disgusting.

"Alright, so…how much does your back hurt?” Freddie asked after a few moments of awkward silence. Joan snorted.

"What do you think?”

Freddie didn’t answer, just chewed on her bottom lip nervously. At least she seemed as uncomfortable with the whole deal as Joan was.

Joan sighed deeply. Alright, maybe she should dial the snarl back a little bit. So far, Mercury hasn’t said a single nasty word to her, it was just her own barking. And she was pretty sure if she pisses her off, that chick will find a ballet position that will break her back even more, so maybe it was better not to push her luck.

"A lot. Better than a few days ago, but it hurts.” Joan admitted, staring at her crutches with venom. She didn’t even realize when Freddie stepped closer, only when she caught a whiff of her sweet lavender scent, that made her head swim against her better judgement.

"Can you walk a few steps without your crutches?” Freddie asked gently.

"I can try.” Joan said, and now it was her turn to blush when Freddie carefully took her crutches, then immediately held onto Joan’s waist to keep her balanced.

"I figured we shouldn’t do much ballet today.” Freddie explained, looking into Joan’s eyes intently, and okay, she was dumb and annoying and far too much up Taylor’s ass, but she was kind of pretty up close. Not like Joan noticed that, of course.

"Just walking around without your crutches as much as you can. Maybe stretching a little.”

Joan nodded, staring at anywhere but Freddie as her arms tightened around her waist.

"Hold onto me.” Freddie ordered her gently but firmly, blushing again. Why this girl kept blushing all the time was beyond Joan. Maybe this was some kind of weird ballerina thing.

They carefully took a few steps, with Freddie taking most of Joan’s waist. Joan had to admit, it proved to be more difficult than she thought without the crutches, and they were literally just walking around.

She almost managed to feel like a human being again when her back stopped hurting after a few rounds around the room, but then, for some inexplicable reason, Freddie decided it was a good idea to start babbling about nonsense.

"I saw you at the game, you know. When you got kicked. I’m sorry about that, darling. I hope she will get punished thoroughly. I mean, you can’t just go around kicking people. I’m pretty sure it’s against the rules. I mean, I don’t know much about football, but…”

And she just went on and on and on. Joan’s back didn’t hurt now, but her head sure did.

"…and they didn’t explain to me! Like, I get it that I’m just a girl, but it’s kind of sexist to assume I don’t know anything about it! I mean, I don’t, but still, it’s like…”

"I’m sorry, do you always talk this much?” Joan cut her off with an exasperated sigh. Freddie immediately shut up, her face going red.

"I guess. I was just trying to take your mind off of the pain, sorry, darling.”

"Stop calling me darling!” Joan snapped, startling Freddie. She broke out of Freddie’s hold, slumping down into a nearby chair. She didn’t even realize just how much this walk tired her out up until this point.

"Sorry.” Freddie said quietly, fidgeting with her hands nervously, looking like the saddest puppy Joan has ever seen, and she couldn’t help but deflate a little. She did promise herself she’ll stop being mean, after all.

"No, I’m sorry. I guess it’s just…this situation is kind of fucked up. I get that you’re only trying to help.”

Freddie nodded, taking place next to her in the other seat.

"It will getter better in no time, trust me. Next time, we can start with a few easy moves, and your’re going to be as good as new soon darl…Joan.”

Joan couldn’t help a little chuckle at that, and Freddie smiled too. Joan noticed how Freddie hid her mouth with her hand, and honestly, her teeth were actually quite cute, so she couldn’t get why…

Actually, Freddie was really pretty, Joan had to admit that. She had to make up for being stupid somehow, Joan thought amusedly.

Of course, Freddie started talking about something else, rapid like gunfire, but Joan didn’t really listen, just let her do that for a while.

Alright, this wasn’t as horrible as she thought it would be.

But that doesn’t mean she likes Mercury or anything.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brianna and Regina's first lesson. As you can guess, it doesn't go too well.

To be honest, Brianna’s confidence that stemmed from finally standing up to that spoiled snot-rag Taylor dissipated rather quickly.

Basically the second Regina threw her backpack onto her desk with a dangerous look, spitting a casual ,,see you later, dickbag” over her shoulders.

Brianna spent every single one of her classes in a near-stroke state, silently praying for some higher force to save her from Regina Taylor’s wrath. She managed to humiliate the Queen Bee herself publicly, and as amazing as it felt, there was no way Brianna will make it out of the Physics Room in one piece after all that.

She already had a piece of ham thrown into her face by Crystal Taylor, another one of Regina’s lackies that Brianna had the misfortune to share one of her classes with. That one seemed particularly blood-thirsty, clearly wishing more tragedies on Brianna besides having some cold-cut landing on her face. Brianna was pretty sure Taylor had all of her friends brainwashed, and she was no doubt going to be ritually sacrificed by a bunch of angry cheerleaders while they were chanting their leader’s name.

Of course, her little fight with Regina in the hallway already became the biggest piece of news, so she had to listen to shushed whispers about "which one of them will kill the other first” the whole day.

When her last class has ended at 2, she contemplated skipping her lesson with Regina and just going straight home; but then she thought about the shaming she will receive after that, and decided to steel herself and stay. She has stood up to her a few hours ago; there was no reason for her to back down now.

The Physics Room was empty, and Brianna thought about the consequences of being murdered without a witness; on the other hand, if she gets pied in the face or some other typical bullying bullshit, at least no one will be there to see it. Though it would be uploaded to every single social media site, there was no doubt about that.

She seated herself at one of the desks, nervously fidgeting with her hands. She kept glancing at the clock on the wall: maybe Regina won’t even show up? No, she’s much more fierce than that, damn her, she won’t be missing out on the chance of squaring up to Brianna once again.

Sure enough, Regina has walked in a few minutes later, holding her head up high with a condesceding look on her face.

_ Awesome start. _

"Hey, asshole.” Regina greeted her almost kindly, throwing herself down into a chair next to Brianna’s. Brianna could already feel her temper rise, but she tried to keep it at bay. For now, at least.

"Let’s start. I don’t want to chat.” Brianna said, kind of proud of the still tone of her voice, even though she was dying inside.

"Who said anything about chatting?” Regina huffed, retrieving her textbook from her bag with a sour expression.

"I think we’ve done enough chatting in the hallway.”

Brianna couldn’t help but snort a little at that, to which Regina replied with the angriest look Brianna has ever seen.

"What are you laughing about?” She growled, and Brianna had to chuckle again. Regina seemed less and less intimiadating with each passing second; honestly, what could she really do to Brianna that the other girl couldn’t reciprocate just as fiercely? If she can play dirty, so can Brianna.

"You seemed surprised, that I yelled at you.” Brianna said smugly, leaning back in her chair, much more relaxed now. Whatever happens, she still has the upper hand, thanks to Regina’s desperation over her grades in Physics; the fact she was only barking, but not biting, proved so much.

"I didn’t know you can talk.” Regina shot back nonchalantly, and there was a smirk playing on her lips that didn’t fail to catch Brianna’s attention. She was absolutely enjoying this.

The strange thing was, that for some reason, so did Brianna.

"Right. I didn’t dare to talk back when you photoshopped my head onto a giraffe’s body in freshman year. How times have changed, huh?”

Regina laughed, shrugging.

"I didn’t even remember that was you. But now that you mention it…that bush on your head could have refreshened my memory.”

Brianna snickered, slamming her own textbook down onto the table, grinning when it startled Regina.

"What happened to no chatting, Princess?”

Regina raised a curious eyebrow at the nickname, mirroring Brianna’s relaxed position in her own chair.

"Princess, huh?”

"Mhm. Like, spoiled and don’t have much going on in your head, and couldn’t save your own life.”

"Oh, so what? You’re my knight in shining armour now, just because you’re helping me in Physics?” Regina asked in an overexaggerated falsetto, batting her eyelashes for good measure, and Brianna hoped her face didn’t become too red at that.

"Maybe. Since without me, you’re fucked.” Brianna answered easily, trying to fight off her strange thoughts that Regina’s words managed to unsettle. Yeah, okay, this damned bitch was pretty, but still. She shouldn’t go there, not for a single second.

Regina chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I never would have guessed you have so much venom, May. You know what? I kind of like it.” Regina smirked, causing Brianna to swallow thickly. Alright, this whole day, and her relationship with Regina was a goddamn rollercoaster already, and they haven’t even started studying yet…

Brianna cleared her throat a little awkwardly, winning herself some time to calm down before she started speaking again.

"We should really start now.”

Regina let out a pathetic whine at that, but she quickly fixed her composure. She followed Brianna with an exasperated sigh as the latter opened her textbook.

"So…what do you need to revise?” Brianna asked, already skimming through everything she learned in her head. She didn’t want to seem stupid in front of this girl, after all.

Regina didn’t reply for a few moments, and Brianna was about to repeat her question, when she saw Regina’s face. It was flaming red, her eyes glued to the table, teeth worrying her lower lip between them anxiously. The sudden switch in her attitude was astounding.

"Uhm…like…at the beginning.” Regina squeezed out from between gritted teeth, turning an even deeper shade of red. Brianna let out a surprised little sound, that only managed to make Regina look even more ashamed.

"The basics?” Brianna asked, chuckling softly. "You don’t even know the basics? Wow, then I see why you turned to me. You’re a total lost cause.”

Regina looked up, her eyes all but shooting arrows at her, and Brianna already regretted her very existence.

"Can you stop being a dick? Okay, I get it, you hate me because I made you into a meme two years ago that wasn’t even that popular, and trust me, people don’t hate you because of that or because you’re a nerd, but because you’re an asshole and think you’re above everyone else! I was being totally polite when I asked you to help, and than you forced me to carry your stuff around like I’m some kind of slave! You call me a "mean girl” but we’re not so different, it seems!”

Brianna just stared, eyes wide and mouth agape, her brain unable to process Regina’s sudden outburst. The blonde looked like an angry bull, about to stomp over her with her hooves. This was unexpected, especially after she was acting all coy and defeated when she admitted she really sucks at this subject. Maybe Brianna went too far this time.

It seemed like hours have passed as they just stared at each other, both contemplating their next move. It was Regina, again, who spoke.

"Can we just get to it?” She asked, her voice much quieter, that strange desperation in her eyes slowly seeping back. Brianna nodded, unable to offer anything more than that.

This whole tutoring deal was bound to end up in an even bigger catastrophe than she originally thought.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more of Regina and Brianna's shenanigans, because it's never enough of ther huffing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the radio silence, I had to take a few exams, but I'm back!
> 
> Also, hopefully the timeline is not confusing, but just to make sure, Maylor's lesson takes place at the same time Deacury try to do ballet.
> 
> Feedback is very much appreciated! :))

Alright. Brianna usually hated to admit when she has fucked up, but this time, she would have had to be stupid to do that.

Her overexaggerated reaction to Regina not understanding even the simplest laws of Physics clearly crossed a line with the blonde cheerleader, turning their -almost- amicable lesson into a series of huffing and pouting on Regina’s part, and a lot of embarrassed coughs and red cheeks on Brianna’s.

"Not like I will, I’m just a stupid blonde after all.” Regina murmured under her breath, playing with a piece of her hair with a sour expression on her face. Brianna really hated it, but she actually felt a little sorry for her.

"Look, I’m…” Brianna faltered. It would have been so easy to apologize, to say that she’s sorry, that she didn’t really mean it. But there was still that stupid part in her brain that just simply didn’t allow her to do that. Apologizing would have equaled accepting some sort of defeat and submitting to Regina, and that thought in itself made her sick to her stomach. She was a little bit of an asshole, yes, and she wasn’t completely heartless so she did feel a little bad about it, but it’s not like Regina hasn’t been an asshole to her and other people in the past.

Regina looked up at her expectantly, her sky-blue eyes glinting with defiance, and wow, she had really long, thick eyelashes. Not like Brianna has noticed that, of course.

Brianna swallowed back her words of apology before she could say them out loud, letting her pride prevail over her compassion. She’ll apologize when Regina does the same, for making her the laughing stock of the whole school.

"….it’s generated by electrons, basically.” Brianna continued quickly, and Regina chuckled, a little amusedly. She has been clearly waiting for Brianna to croak out a "sorry”, but apparently, Regina’s message about Brianna being an asshole didn’t go through quite well.

The whole lesson was basically pointless, doomed to a fail from the very start. 

Regina already felt quite queasy about the whole deal: admitting that she was bad at something, and needing help; turning to the biggest teacher’s pet for said help, who seemed to be having a silent, but nonetheless angry agenda against her ever since Regina poked fun at her height with that stupid meme (which wasn’t even that big of a deal, the whole thing blew off quite quickly, and yeah, okay, Regina knew that the meme sometimes popped up even to this day and Brianna still got called "giraffe” by some of their peers, but come on…surely there are worse things), and her revenge involves humiliating Regina in front of everyone by treating her like a peasant, and now when Regina almost decided this chick wasn’t so terrible after all, she takes advantage of Regina’s vulnerability and makes fun of her. Just what she needed on top of that shit pile.

She really wanted Brianna to feel bad, so she kept avoiding eye-contact all the while, murmuring barely audible things under her breath, making it very clear she wasn’t interested in anything Brianna had to say from now on. Obviously, she kind of turned this weapon on herself as well, because she really did need help and she sure as hell wasn’t getting it properly if she didn’t cooperate, but her temper was way more prominent than her rational thoughts.

And Brianna definitely felt bad, Regina could see it written all over her face, and she almost seemed to be about to apologize to her at one point, but she was just as proud and huffy as Regina was, if not even more, so nothing came out of it, naturally.

It seemed like their first lesson was going to be the last, if that’s how their future sessions were supposed to go.

"I think that’s enough for today.” Brianna said after a particularly awkward and out-stretched silence. They barely managed to cover the first half of the first chapter, but it was absolutely pointless to try and continue like this.

Regina just nodded, slamming her book shut with a dramatic gesture, making Brianna wince. The blonde shoved everything back into her bag and stood up, wearing the same bored expression.

"Thanks for nothing.” She said with a bitter chuckle. Brianna’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline at that, her eyes widening.

"What do you mean, nothing? I explained everything down to the details. It’s not my fault you didn’t even care to listen.”

"And what do you think, whose fault is that?” Regina snarled back, angrily putting her hands on her hips. Brianna stood up too, towering over Regina with a stormy expression.

"Oh, it’s mine, isn’t it? Because tough mean girl Regina cannot handle being called stupid? I’m sorry, Princess, but people are called much worse names and they are still standing. You know, I almost felt bad, but honestly, why do I even bother!?”

The laughter Regina let out at that was almost hysterical, disbelief written all over her face.

"Are you still standing? I don’t think being called "giraffe” is such a terrible thing that you have to be so hateful towards me and everyone because of it! You are clearly not standing, because you’re snarling at me for it, years later!”

"Don’t you think that’s my only reason!” Brianna growled, her eyes darkening dangerously. "You’re the epitome of a bully around here, everyone is scared of you! I’m pretty sure your "friends” are too, because if they’d step out of line, they would be punished!”

"Oh come on, what am I, a dictator?” Regina scoffed, her face red from the outburst she tried to hold back for the sake of her dignity. "It’s not my fault some of you nerds are so sensitive that you cannot handle some teasing!”

"You made a girl cry the other day, what teasing are you meowing about!?”

"And why the fuck do you care!? Are you Mother Theresa or something!?”

"No, but I hate bullies like you!”

"And I hate pretentious assholes like you, so I guess we’re even then!”

"Uhh…guys?”

They snapped out of their rage quickly, whipping around to see who was talking. Freddie and Joan were standing in the doorway, looking terribly embarrassed.

"What are you…Joan? Shouldn’t you be at the hospital?” Brianna turned her back on Regina, aiming all her attention at her friend now. Joan scratched the back of her head a little awkwardly, humming.

"They let me out a little earlier. What the hell is going on here?”

"Yeah, we heard you screaming all the way down to the ballet room.” Freddie perked up, looking from Regina to Brianna and back, taking in their red faces, their hands that were balled up into fists by their sides and the generally hostile atmosphere in the room.

"It’s okay. It won’t happen again, because I won’t be needing your help in the future.” Regina growled at Brianna, turning on her heels and nudging Freddie, who was still dumbfounded. She knew Regina was quite mighty, but she didn’t realize May could scream like that.

Regina ushered Freddie out of the room in a breath, leaving the still seething Brianna and the shocked Joan behind.

"What…in the fuck.” Joan croaked, leaning against the doorframe to rest her aching body. Brianna waved a dismissive hand, though she still looked like she was about to explode from all the anger inside.

"That blonde monster asked me to help in Physics, and I tried. As you can see, it went abso-fucking-lutely horribly.”

Joan hummed again, her brain not really offering anything more. That single sentence contained a shit ton of implied information already, and that was way too much for her right now. Did she really get released from the hospital to walk right back into the middle of a shitstorm?

"Anyways, I’m glad you’re back.” Brianna said, much softer, wrapping her arms around Joan in a careful hug, making sure not to squeeze her injured friend too hard.

"Are you really taking ballet lessons from Mercury?” Brianna chuckled when she pulled away, and Joan rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well…we really drew the short straw, dude.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddie has a plan, but she needs some help with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's see how Deacury reacts to the situation between Regina and Brianna ;)
> 
> Comments are -as always- appreciated to the high Heavens!

A week has passed since Regina and Brianna’s big fight which ended with them ’promising’ they’ll never have any more lessons together, and tensions were higher than ever before.

They didn’t even throw a glimpse at each other when they passed each other in the hallway, staring at the floor stubbornly; but that held so much more animosity than when they came to a blow right in front of everyone, which became the talk of the whole school for a few days. Now they were still the hottest topic, everyone guessing what the hell has went down between them; conspiracy theories popped up everywhere about what they have done to each other in the Physics classroom. Some of those theories were quite gruesome, some of them straight-up porny.

Anyways, everyone could smell the hostility.

Regina has been melancholic as hell for the past week, and Freddie was growing more an more concerned with each passing day. She tried to nudge her friend about it, but Regina didn’t seem to want to open up, not even to her best friend. Freddie was kind of suprised to see that this nerd has left such a big impact on Regina’s self-confidence; Regina always seemed so easy and dismissive about May and the like, but now she has put walls up around herself, hiding in her shell, and that happening right on the tail of their fight would be too much of a coincidence. Regina’s frustration and their tragic tutoring session simply had to be tied together.

And Freddie hated seeing her best friend suffer; she knew she had to do something about it, about this entire rollercoaster of a situation that emerged only a week ago when Regina turned to Brianna for help. But she wasn’t enough to diffuse the situation alone; she needed help.

Joan was already showing progress despite only taking ballet lessons for a week; Freddie never went too hard on her, trying to spare her injured back and her pride, so she obviously didn’t force her to do pirouettes, only some minor movements that were still a progression from the simple walking around they did on their first session.

She was stretching now against the railing, her firm muscles tensing, and Freddie tried really hard not to stare too obviously. Okay, maybe Regina was right, and she might have a teeny, tiny, barely-there crush on her…well, she was just human after all, and Joan was hot, and tall and muscular and could definitely bench-press Freddie in a heartbeat…

She shook her head to clear them of her thoughts that were quickly turning not exactly PG-13. She really shouldn’t be thinking about her like that, especially since Joan clearly hated her and every moment they spent together was torture to the varsity player. 

This is basically just business, Freddie had told herself. She’s helping Joan recover so she can return to the field as quickly as possible, and she’s gonna get some juicy credits from Ms. Lawrence in exchange. It really was just a business deal, nothing more.

But she needed Joan as somewhat of a confidante for her little plan, since she was to Brianna what Freddie was to Regina: a best friend, someone they trusted the most and whose opinions they greatly valued. If there is someone, who could lend a great helping hand in this case, was Joan.

Freddie cleared her throat a little awkwardly, trying to set her thoughts straight (definitely much straighter than when she was fantasizing about being snapped in half by Joan’s muscular arms). Joan turned around, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Yeah?” She breathed, putting a hand on her back with a wince as she moved to sit, clearly in need of some rest. Freddie stood from one foot to the other, biting her lip.

"This is gonna sound weird, but…if I ever needed help, would you help me?”

Joan looked more confused than ever, frowning up at the ballerina, before she gave a little shrug.

"I mean, I guess. You’re helping me too, so I guess I could repay the favor or something…” Her cheeks went a little red at that, which definitely didn’t fail to catch Freddie’s attention.

_ Focus on the task at hand, bitch._

"I didn’t mean it like that.” Freddie said softly, even trying a little smile to look more at ease. "I meant helping me help Regina and Brianna.”

Joan’s eyes lit up with recognition, but then she sighed, waving a dismissive hand.

"Please, let’s not even talk about that mess. Brianna looks like she’s being haunted by ghosts ever since that damn lesson.”

"Right? So does Regina!” Freddie perked up, sitting down next to Joan. "They really seem off, and I hate to see Regina suffer.”

"Well, she used to bully Brianna, I’m not sure what she expected.” Joan chimed in nonchalantly, making Freddie roll her eyes.

"Oh come on. That whole ’giraffe’ deal? Is she seriously so worked up over that, years later?”

"Maybe don’t diminish what this means to a person, Freddie. You might think this is nothing, but it seriously hurt her. I mean, sure, people can be called worse, but we don’t get to choose how much pain should it cause to someone. It’s their business.”

Joan’s voice was calm but lecturing, and Freddie couldn’t help but blush again, this time from embarrassment. She had to admit, Joan was kind of right. Regina could go a little far with her teasing, not even realizing the effects of her actions, there was no reason to deny that.

"You’re right.” Freddie said softly, looking up at Joan from under her lashes coyly, surprised to see another hint of blush on Joan’s cheeks.

"But this whole deal that your friend did…making Regina prepare her lunch and carry her stuff to the third floor…than laughing at her and mocking her because she’s struggling with Physics…she was kind of acting like a bully too.”

Joan seemed to contemplate that for a few seconds, then nodded. Freddie was right about that one: both Brianna and Regina were assholes to each other on more than one occasion.

"And what is the plan?” Joan asked after some silence, looking at Freddie again whose eyes glimmered with an almost child-like excitement.

"We should try and get to them be more friendly to each other. Maybe if they could actually talk it out, they would calm down a little bit.”

Joan chuckled, a little bitterly, shaking her head.

"There’s no way those two will ever want to talk to each other.”

Freddie sighed, turning her full body towards Joan, looking up at her with pleading eyes (for some reason, that technique seemed to be working because Joan blushed again; though Freddie had no idea what this meant just yet).

"Joan, please…come on, you can tell they are suffering. And Regina has an upcoming big test in Phsyics, and she won’t be able to pass it without Brianna! We need to get them to at least be on speaking terms with each other until then!”

Joan sighed, rubbing at her cheeks. Freddie kept staring at her intently, with those big, chocolate brown eyes of hers, plump lips anxiously caught between her adorable teeth, and it was nothing short of distracting…

"God, okay, okay.” Joan said eventually with a sigh of defeat, causing Freddie to squeal. 

"You’re right. I’ll try and talk to Brianna while you talk to Regina.”

"Thank you so much, darling!” Freddie squealed again, completely forgetting about the ’don’t call me darling’ rule, along with the ’personal space’ rule, because she threw her arms around Joan’s neck before she could stop herself.

And Joan reciprocated the hug on autopilot before her brain finally turned back on from its little blackout, and she pulled back, horrified.

Freddie was crimson red, staring at everywhere but Joan to make sure she can avoid her impending heart attack. Joan wasn’t in a much better state, her cheeks just as red as Freddie’s.

Joan croaked, scratching at her neck that was red like her face. "Uhm…okay.” That was all her brain could offer.

"Okay.” Freddie replied, equally dumbly. What just happened here?  
Anyway, they shouldn’t be too caught up in this…whatever the hell this was. They had a plan they needed to set into motion: trying to talk their stupid friends into not murdering each other.

And if that didn’t work out, then…Freddie had a B-plan, too.

She could probably make that B-plan a reality by herself, but Freddie felt like she was going to ask for Joan to help with that, too.

Just because why not.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If plan-A doesn't work, it's time for plan-B.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slow updates, I have a little bit of a writer's block with my multichapter stories, but I'm trying my best!
> 
> Feedback is appreciated, as always! :)

After Regina has screamed Freddie’s head off, and Brianna used various swear words Joan was pretty sure she has never heard before in her life, it was clear that Freddie’s plan of getting Regina and Brianna to talk to each other on friendly terms failed terribly.

This meant one thing.

Plan-B had to be set into motion.

When Freddie presented her secondary plan to Joan, the latter was mortified. There was no way it would work, in fact, it would probably just make things worse. But Freddie brought out the ’big guns’, namely the good ’ole puppy eyes and the famous Mercury-pout, and Joan has found herself unable to resist. God, she was getting way too soft. Maybe it was her injury, or she spent way too much time around prissy ballerinas now; anyways, she did agree to help Freddie with her terrible plan.

Damn those puppy eyes.

Regina huffed in annoyance, staring up at the clock on the wall impatiently. Freddie should be here now. She said they needed to talk, and that it was urgent, and now she was late.

Regina checked the classroom: she was at the right place, like they have agreed, so where the hell was she? If it was so bloody urgent, why couldn’t she just tell her over the phone? Why did she have to organize a whole clandestine meeting?

And seriously, why the hell was she late!?

She contemplated getting up and leaving, when she finally heard some shuffling, indicating someone has walked inside the room.

"Fucking finally! What took you so long?” Regina growled without looking up, too busy sweeping off the morsels of the muffin she ate while waiting. Shit, she sinned again. Her coach already commented on her little weight gain, maybe she should really cut back before they kick her out of the team. And there was also this stupid debacle with Physics, and the big test was coming up, and she knew that if she fails this subject, her position will be endangered…

When she finally looked up, interrupting her own train of thought, her jaw dropped open and her eyes practically bulged out of her head.

Because it wasn’t Freddie standing in the room with her, but Brianna fucking May, frozen in one place, looking equally dumbfounded.

"Oh, hell no…” Brianna mumbled. She made a move to turn on her heels and just leave, when the door was suddenly slammed shut behind her, and she could hear the turn of the key in the lock, much to both of their horror.

They were trapped.

"Open the door!” Brianna yelled, grabbing the handle and shaking it like a madman, to no avail. "Open the bloody door, it’s not funny!”

No reply came. Whoever closed the door, was clearly planning on keeping it closed as permanently as possible.

"I cannot fucking believe this.” Regina growled, marching to the door, and even though she could see that Brianna couldn’t open it either, she still tried to tear the handle off. "Open the fucking door, whoever you are, you piece of dogshit!!!”

"Would you stop screaming?” Brianna snapped at her, her head already pounding. "They are not opening it.”

Regina mumbled something in response, pushing herself against the door, but it didn’t budge. She grabbed the handle again, shaking it desperately. Brianna growled behind her.

"Hate to kill your dreams, Princess, but shaking the handle won’t help.”

That arrogant fucking tone again. Regina whipped around, her eyes all but shooting arrows at Brianna.

"Wow, thanks Einstein! What are we supposed to do, then?”

"How would I know?”

"Because you’re so smart.” Regina said in a mocking tone, and she could see, much to her chagrin, that Brianna seemed close to an aneurysm again.

"Of bloody course I had to be locked in with you, of all people.” The brunette murmured, slumping down onto a chair in defeat. "Sounds like a terrible death, dying in here with you.”

"Trust me, I hate the idea too.” Regina hissed, sitting down on the floor with her back against the door, sighing deeply. "But just so you know, if we’re gonna start starving, I’ll eat you without any second thought.”

Brianna snickered. "You should be more afraid of that. There’s more meat on you.”

Regina let out an offended sound. "Are you calling me fat?”

Brianna almost said yes, but decided not to. She didn’t feel like dying a violent death at Regina’s hands when there was nowhere to run. Because, of course, they were up on the third floor. So they couldn’t even escape through the window. It was as if someone has planned this…

Brianna groaned, slapping her forehead. Regina stared at her, raising her eyebrows in question.

"What?”

"Joan and Freddie.” Brianna sighed deeply, looking up at Regina again. ,,They wanted us to talk so much, do you think they were the ones who locked us in?”

Realization seemed to dawn in Regina’s eyes, and the blonde groaned.

"I’m going to fucking murder the both of them.”

"No, you can kill Freddie, but I’m going to murder Joan. It’s equality.” Brianna chimed in, and Regina couldn’t help but laugh.

"Yeah, you know what? Deacon is yours.”

Brianna snickered in response. She really is going to murder Joan. They were totally responsible for this. Both her and Freddie has been nagging them for so long, it made sense for them to go radical on their asses and literally force them to be in the same space with each other.

Oh. So, yeah. They should be talking. Or something like that. Because it was clear, that they weren’t going to be let out until they talked. That was the whole point.

Brianna let out a deep sigh, looking at Regina again. The blonde had her head leaned against the door, her eyes closed as she rubbed at her temples. She looked almost vulnerable, sitting on the floor like that, clearly wanting out of this situation as much as Brianna did.

"Regina…” Brianna started, but she trailed off. Regina opened her eyes right away, staring at her curiously. Brianna swallowed, trying to find the right words. She has been through this process so many times, wanting to apologize, but then letting her pride prevail.

Fuck this. The more human they both act, the faster the door opens.

She cleared her throat a little awkwardly, took a deep breath, then continued.

"Regina, I’m sorry.”

Regina’s eyes widened comically as she stared at her. She seemingly couldn’t comprehend what she has just heard.

"Wait, did you just…apologize to me?” Regina asked, voice full of unmasked disbelief. Brianna bit her lip and nodded, hoping her cheeks weren’t too red.

"Yeah. You were right, I was being an asshole. I shouldn’t have laughed at you when you said you don’t know the basics. And for making your carry my stuff in exchange for some tutoring. And…maybe you’re right, about me acting like I’m above everyone else. I just…god, I feel so stupid.”

She chuckled bitterly, fidgeting with her own fingers.

"I was always…insecure, I guess. About my looks, and about not being a ’cool kid’. And then you made that stupid meme, and I saw how you were treating kids like me, and I guess this made me angry. But I shouldn’t have acted like the way I did.”

The silence was almost defeaning after her confession, and Brianna damned herself internally. She fucked up, she shouldn’t have apologized. Regina is just going to make a joke about this entire situation, and now she got weak, and she submitted, something she never wanted to do, and she has lost the battle, that was it…

Her thoughts were interrupted by Regina, who spoke up after contemplating what Brianna has said.

"You’re right. You really were an asshole.”

Brianna scoffed. Great. It really wasn’t worth apologizing. She should have just kept her mouth shut.

"But so was I.” Regina continued, almost softly, and that made Brianna look up in surprise.

"You’re right, I was bullying those kids and you to a degree, and maybe I never even realized it. I always thought about it as just harmless teasing, and never really realized that it could actually hurt someone. I got called so many things, and I thought this was nothing compared to that…”

Brianna frowned. What was Regina called? She couldn’t remember her being bullied, like ever. Who called her names?

She was about to ask, but Regina continued quickly, clearly sensing Brianna’s curiosity.

"So, I kind of deserved your disdain to an extent. I’m sorry too.”

It seemed like hours have passed, they were sitting in silence for so long. None of them could believe what just happened. They really managed to apologize to each other because they were locked in. Wow.

But the weirdest thing was, that they actually meant what they said. And for the first time in weeks, none of them felt like murdering the other girl.

"This was…surprising.” Brianna chuckled, her cheeks a little pink from god knows what. Regina nodded, a small smile tugging on her lips.

"Yeah. I thought you’re never gonna admit you’re a pretentious asshole.”

"And I thought you’re never gonna admit you’re kind of a mean girl.”

They both laughed at that, and yes, it was definitely weird, because for some strange, inexplicable reason, it felt like a huge wall finally came crumbling down. Or at least cracked a little.

Regina looked up, and she didn’t know why, but her heart fluttered a little bit when Brianna smiled at her. Maybe this is what true confessions did to someone. She cleared her soiled mean girl soul, didn’t she?

"Uhm…” Brianna croaked, scratching at her neck awkwardly. "Just so you know, if you want to…I can keep tutoring you. I know you have an upcoming test.”

Regina groaned in misery. She almost forgot about that stupid test.

"Yeah…that would be nice, thank you.”

"But only if you can act like a human being.” Brianna warned her playfully, and Regina laughed.

"Alright, but the same applies to you too. Only if you can act like a human being.”

They suddenly heard the key turn in the lock, and they both shot up from their place, tearing the door open and bursting out onto the hallway. There was no sign of Freddie and Joan, though.

"Bastards.” Regina murmured. "We’re still gonna kill them once we find them.”

Brianna nodded in agreement, though there was a smile on her face that she didn’t even know how it got there.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Brianna's next lesson goes much better than the ones before, but something happens again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, two things.
> 
> One, I'm extremely sorry for taking so long to update. I had to take exams and was dealing with uni stuff in general, but now I'm here!
> 
> Two, my writing blog, bambirexwrites was terminated by the tumblr staff. They are apparently in the process of restoring it now, so I won't be able to take requests for an unknown amount of time...

This was…a little weird. Standing at the front door of the Mays’ house. 

Just a few weeks ago, Regina sure as hell didn’t even think she would ever see the place Brianna lived at; not like she wanted to.

But these few weeks were full of surprises: it was one hell of an emotional rollercoaster, going from disdain to outward hatred to amicable terms to…

Not friendship. That would be a slight exaggeration.

A mutually symbiotic relationship, perhaps, where Regina was catching up on Physics, and Brianna wasn’t murdered by either her or the rest of the cheerleaders. And okay, maybe Brianna wasn’t even that big of a douche like she seemed to be at first. Ever since the fateful day Freddie and Joan schemed behind their backs and locked them in a classroom, essentially forcing them to talk it out, the general animosity in the air around them seem to dissipate a little. Obviously, trust cannot be built from nothing, but at least they didn’t want to murder each other anymore, and the rest of the school sensed the changes in their attitude, so everyone moved on with a bored expression to jump onto much juicier gossips instead.

Regina was feeling a tad bit conflicted, if she wanted to be honest. She was the kind of person that could seethe for ages, holding grudges with her philosophy of ’’never forget, never forgive”, and yet, here she was, agreeing to come over to Brianna’s when the latter informed her they couldn’t have their –now regular- tutoring, because she was sick, so she either shows her face in her room, or it’ll have to be delayed. And Regina worked really hard to convince herself that it was only desperation that brought her here, the fear of flunking the test, and not this strange infatuation she started to develop towards Brianna.

Okay, maybe it was the very very very beginning of something akin to a friendship.

She checked her phone with a frown. She has texted Brianna that she was here, but the latter hasn’t even seen the message. Regina was chewing on her lip for a while before she eventually rang the doorbell, hoping that none of Brianna’s parents were home to open the door. There was nothing she hated more than explaining her relationship with someone while she also wasn’t sure what the nature of said relationship was. Parents had that tendency of becoming way too curious and making things even more awkward.

To her misfortune, Brianna’s mother, Ruth opened the door, and Regina forced a smile onto her face, effectively hiding the fact she was already screaming inside.

’’Hi.” Ruth’s voice was uncertain, as her eyes were, roaming over Regina curiously. Surely she wasn’t the type of person Brianna would hang out with. Mama May was used to Joan Deacon, either in her varsity gear after practice or her simple tees and jeans, not blondes who looked like they rolled out of a fashion magazine with their skin-tight dress and high-heels.

Regina could sense her distrust, so she reached her hand out politely for Ruth to take.

’’Hey, Mrs. May. I’m Regina.”

Ruth was still staring at her with narrowed eyes, and Regina felt every ounce of confidence leave her body.

’’Uhm…Brianna is tutoring me in Physics.”

Ruth’s eyes lit up in recognition, and she smiled warmly. ’’Oh, I see! Sorry, I just haven’t seen you around before. Brianna’s upstairs, I advice you wear some protective gear against the bacteria she spits out into the air.”

Her joking tone and the overdramatic wince made Regina laugh softly, and she muttered a quiet thank you before padding up on the stairs.

She hesitated at the door of Brianna’s room. Entering her most private area seemed so weird after they spent weeks snarling at each other.

Regina shook that strange feeling off her and she knocked on the door. No answer. She tried again, still nothing. With a resigned sigh, she opened the door.

She had no idea why her cheeks got all warm when she spotted Brianna curled up in her bed, sleeping soundly, the duvet pulled up to her chin. This sight was so different from the cocky wannabe scientist that frowned over everyone; she looked almost cute, and that realization did nothing to silence Regina’s jumbled up thoughts.

Regina considered leaving, not wanting to bother Brianna if she was feeling so unwell (where the hell did that come from? Since when does she care about other people’s feelings besides her own? God, she was spending too much time with hearts-on-my-sleeve Freddie), but then Brianna stirred awake, cracking her eyes open and spotting Regina standing in the doorway with an unsure look on her face.

’’Hey.” Brianna croaked, her voice heavy with sleep and sickness, and Regina felt an inexplicable flutter of her heart. She gave Brianna a weak smile, shutting the door behind her softly.

’’Sorry, I swear I didn’t forgot about out lesson, but it seems like I fell asleep.” Brianna explained as she sat up, carding her fingers through her messy hair to make herself look a little more presentable, though it was a little bit futile now.

’’It’s okay.” Regina replied, her voice sounding uncharacteristically small. It was just probably the discomfort of invading someone’s personal space, definitely not the fact that Brianna looked positively adorable with her messy bun and her ridiculous NASA shirt, despite the sad paleness of her cheeks.

’’How are you feeling?”

’’Meh. Had worse, had better.”

Regina nodded lamely, looking around the room. It looked exactly how she imagined: bookshelves upon bookshelves stacked full of thick books, no doubt about astronomy and the like. A telescope was set up before the window, and a guitar was sitting in the corner, its neck reclining against the wall.

’’Nerd.” Regina scoffed, though she was surprised to find the lack of malice in her words. Brianna just rolled her eyes with a snort, that quickly turned into a coughing fit.

Regina hovered on for a few seconds, before resigning to awkwardly pat Brianna’s back. Why the hell she did that for, she had no idea. Yeah, this nerd-cave was definitely turning her into a weirdo too.

’’Thanks.” Brianna wheezed, clearing her throat. There was now a patch of red on her cheeks, a little color against the ghostly paleness.

’’Are you sure you’re in the state of teaching me anything today?” Regina asked, sitting down on the end of the bed, not wanting to get into Brianna’s personal space even more.  
’’It’s fine, we could just…”

’’No, it’s okay.” Brianna assured her with a little smile, that Regina couldn’t help but return.

’’I was thinking revising chapter 15 for today. That one, uh…”

Brianna was clearly looking for her words, intent on choosing them wisely. It was surprising, but also kind of heartwarming that now she made sure not to intentionally hurt Regina’s feelings over her lack of skills in this field, or in general.

’’It’s a difficult one.” Brianna said eventually, grabbing her book from the bedside table. She looked over at Regina again. She could tell the blonde was nervous, fidgeting with her hands and looking at anywhere but her.

’’You’re gonna pass the test, Regina.” Brianna said softly, surprising even herself with how mellow and kind her tone was now. The sickness, probably. It tends to make people all mushy and slow.

Regina nodded with another weak smile, damning herself internally when she felt her cheeks flush. Brianna was definitely nicer now, and Regina was just human, after all: everyone likes to be treated with kindness and getting encouragement. No need for second thoughts about it.

’’Okay, so now the velocity.”

Regina groaned, rubbing at her temples with her hands in frustration. So many damn numbers. They have been at it for long hours now, and Regina’s head was buzzing from all the new information and the encouraging little endearments from Brianna when she got something right.

’’I’m not sure if I can get that one…” Regina admitted, embarrassment making her skin tingle with red. Brianna tutted softly into her third mug of honey tea.

’’Of course you can. If you’re done with that, we’ll revise some basic definitions again, and then you’ll be absolutely ready for your big test.”

Her eyes were so soft and kind, and her face was gentle instead of the general look of disgust she always had on it while looking at Regina before, and it was nothing short of distracting.

’’You think so?” Regina asked, and she had to admit, her voice sounded more shy than she intended to. Brianna nodded, her lips curling into another smile.

’’Of course. You’re smarter than you give yourself credit for.”

Brianna surely didn’t know what possessed her when she reached out and squeezed Regina’s hand, but in that moment, it just seemed right. And judging by the look on Regina’s face, it definitely was the right thing to do.

The blonde looked almost dazed, her eyelashes fluttering and her cheeks turning a delightful shade of pink, her soft lips parting slightly as she drew in a breath, her hand growing warm and a little clammy in Brianna’s hands.

A sharp ping from Regina’s phone finally broke them out of their trance, and Regina pulled her hand away like it was burned. Her cheeks were still flaming as she looked at her phone.

Her eyes suddenly went wide and she literally jumped off the bed, startling Brianna.

’’I have to go.” she announced, and Brianna felt an uncomfortable feeling settle into the pit of her stomach at the sheer panic she saw in the other girl’s eyes.

’’What’s wrong?” Brianna asked, Regina’s panic rubbing off on her. The blonde shook her head, shoving her stuff back in her bag hastily.

’’It’s late, I’ve gotta go.” she mumbled, and Brianna could see she was shaking. Not something she would have expected from the Queen Bee herself.

’’You have a curfew or something?” Brianna tried to joke to take the edge off, but the look Regina sent her made her retailate.

’’I’ll show myself out.” Regina stuttered, and before Brianna could open her mouth to say anything, the blonde was gone.

Brianna could only stare at the place on her bed she just abandoned, absolutely and utterly confused. They almost had a moment. Like, a moment that normal people have. What friends have.

What the hell happened?


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddie feels that something is off with Regina, while Joan has lunch with people she never thought she would ever have lunch with, and finding out something she never thought she would find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting introduced to a few new characters, are you ready? ;)
> 
> Just to avoid confusion, Crystal is Crystal Taylor, Jenny is Joe Fannelli, Phoebe is Peter Freestone, and Etta is Elton John!
> 
> Feedback is soooo appreciated!

That constant, throbbing ache in her back was now gone to be replaced by a dull, definitely more bearable sensation, and Joan was excited. The quicker she gets better, the quicker she can go back to the field. And she was definitely making progress, thanks to the constant, surprisingly torturous ballet lessons a’la Freddie, her daily visits to the chiropractor and the few hours of physical therapy on every Friday evening.

Speaking of Freddie, the roles were definitely reversed today; Joan was bubblier than she has ever been, the premise of being able to play again filled her with electricity. Freddie was the one somewhat moping today.

’’You know, I have never realized that ballet is this powerful.” Joan admitted as she stretched against the barrier, her joints creaking in protest. ’’I was scared my abs are going to shrivel up since I can’t do my usual workout routine, but they seem to be just fine.”

Usually, the mention of Joan’s abs would have made Freddie much happier and excited, but not now.

’’Ballet helps a lot with core strength too.” Freddie explained quietly, fiddling with the straps of her own shoes. ’’It moves every single muscle in your body.”

Joan hummed, glancing at Freddie with a curious look. Something was off with her today. She would be all over Joan now, chirping about nonsense and giggling with her cheeks turning pink, and against her better judgement, Joan kind of missed her usual behavior.

’’Is…everything okay?” she asked, hoping her voice wasn’t too concerned. She didn’t want Freddie to get the wrong idea; it’s not like they were girlfriends, or anything.

Freddie let out a deep sigh, glancing at the clock on the wall, despite knowing that the passing of time won’t solve her problems. But she couldn’t just stay still, not when she was sure something bad was going to happen. Or have already happened, probably.

She gave Joan a weak smile, none of her usual million-dollar grins which she ended with covering her teeth shyly: it was tight-lipped and tired, raising alarms in Joan’s head. She slowly padded over to Freddie, enjoying the fact that now she could make a few steps without her crutches, and leaned against the wall where Freddie was doing her own insane routine. She could lift her legs above her head, for god’s sake.

’’Freddie.” she said with the softest voice she could muster, and she couldn’t help it when her heart fluttered happily as that light pink color finally blossomed on Freddie’s cheek again.

’’It’s alright, darling.” Freddie lied, trying for a more convincing smile this time. ’’It’s silly.”

’’Do you want to talk about it?” Joan asked, and now it was her turn to blush when Freddie’s smile- her actual, lovely smile- lit up the ballerina’s face.

’’Joan Deacon.” she tutted playfully, looking up at Joan from her lashes with a look that could almost be described as seductive. ’’Do you actually want to talk to my bimbo kind?”

Joan turned crimson red. Her own venom being reflected back to her, even if done in such a playful way, sent a humbling sensation all over her very core. She did have a long talk with Brianna just a few days prior, about their disdain of Freddie and Regina, and they both agreed in fits of embarrassment, that maybe, just maybe, they were kind of wrong. Nor Freddie, nor Regina weren’t stupid at all, and as Joan could experience it from first-hand, they weren’t so mean either. Freddie definitely wasn’t, at least: she has been nothing but extremely helpful in the past few weeks, and though she may have been a little annoying and obnoxious at times, she really was just trying to cheer up an injured and somewhat depressed varsity player.

’’You’re not a bimbo.” Joan said softly, damning herself internally at how weak her voice sounded. Freddie snickered softly, but didn’t push it any more.

’’So…” Joan started again after a few seconds of awkward silence. ’’Will you tell me what’s bothering you?”

Freddie let out a deep sigh, her expression changed back to one of anxiety and sadness.

’’It’s Regina.” Freddie said quietly. ’’She said she’s sick and that’s why she’s not in school today, but…I have a bad feeling about this.”

’’She’s probably caught it from Brianna, I heard they had a lesson at Brianna’s, and she’s still withering away at home too.” Joan tried to joke to calm Freddie, but it didn’t seem to be working, if the sour look on her face was any indication.

’’Perhaps.” Freddie hummed, wiping her clammy hands on her leggings. ’’But I called her, and her voice didn’t sound sick. She sounded…sad. You know, sometimes she gets sad all of a sudden and I never know what’s wrong, because she never tells me. But I think it has something to do with her family.”

Joan was about to ask what she meant, when the bell went off, signalling the beginning of lunch break.

’’Oh, thank god. I was starving!” Freddie chirped, clapping her hands, startling Joan. The ballerina seemed to be turning back to her usual self, hopping about as she packed her stuff. She turned back to Joan with an almost shy smile after she was done.

’’Do you…uhm. Do you wanna get lunch with us?”

’’Us?” Joan asked, trying to keep her composure. She has never been invited to have lunch with Freddie before, and for some reason, it filled her with a strange, but comfortable warmth.

’’Crystal, Etta, Jenny, Phoebe and me. And Regina would be there to complete the pack, but…well.”

Joan stared at her in shock. Did she just…get invited to sit with the big dogs? The Queen Bee and her regal posse? Her, Joan Deacon, a mere mortal?

She was frozen for so long that Freddie started laughing, her voice sounding like silver bells in the acoustic of the ballet room.

’’So, are you joining us, or should we wait until lunch break is over?”

’’Uhm, erm, ah…yeah, sure. Thanks.” Joan stuttered, and Freddie laughed again softly, handing her crutches over with a kind smile.

It was so typical that Regina Taylor’s table was right in the middle of the cafeteria, and as much as a tough girl Joan has always considered herself to be, she did feel a little intimidiated. Especially as she was scanned by watchful eyes.

’’Heeeeyy, ladios.” Freddie greeted them warmly, pulling a spare chair over from the table next to them for Joan.

’’Joan here will be joining us, I’m sure you don’t mind.” Her voice was light but firm, and Joan couldn’t help but grin a little. Aha. So Freddie was second in command; if she said something, the rest would just nod and follow through. Good. Maybe this way her life will be spared.

’’Do you know anything about Regina?” Crystal turned to Freddie right away, ignoring Joan. ’’She didn’t answer my texts.”

’’She said she’s sick.” Freddie replied with a resigned sigh, shaking her head. ’’But guys…I have a really bad feeling about this.”

’’Do you know something that we don’t?” Jenny asked, leaning forward curiously. Her eyes were full of concern and Joan made another mental note about these supposed ’’mean girls”. They seemed to be true friends, for starters.

’’I wouldn’t say I know, more like I sense.” Freddie replied, before turning back to Joan with a sweet smile. ’’I’m gonna grab some food for the both of us, can’t have you putting too much strain on your back, darling.”

Before Joan could protest, Freddie was prancing away. Her movements were fluid, like she was dancing even now when she was supposed to be just walking, and that made Joan feel a little mushy inside.

She turned back to the rest of the table, trying to put on a brave face.

’’So, you’re the one Freddie is helping to recover?” Etta asked with a little smirk, raking her eyes over Joan’s firm arms appreciatively. ’’Lucky girl.”

’’Etta.” Phoebe warned her softly, to which the other girl just chuckled. 

’’What? Come on, Pheebs, don’t pretend like you wouldn’t want a piece of that. She might be a little bit of a weirdo, but she is a varsity player. That’s why I joined the Pom-Poms, so I could drool over those hot female bulls.”

’’A female bull is a cow.” Crystal said with an exasperated sigh, and Joan couldn’t help but laugh. It was kind of strange, being thrown into this unfamiliar circle; but at the same time, she could see just how similar they actually were. Okay, the weirdo comment wasn’t nice, but these seemingly plastic and empty-headed girls were so different from what Joan has imagined them to be: fun, with a seemingly very strong bond between them.

’’I remember how much you fought to get in.” Jenny mused with a grin. ’’You wouldn’t let it go, just so you could ogle the female varsity team.”

’’It wasn’t just because of that.” Etta reminded her softly. ’’Guess I wanted to prove fat girls could be cheerleaders too.”

’’All of you are in the Pom-Poms?” Joan asked, a little embarrassed about the fact that she never really took a second glass at the team-up. She thought Freddie was a cheerleader too at first, all of these girls seemed the same to her.

’’I’m not.” Phoebe chimed in, sending her a surpisingly warm smile. ’’I’m a ballerina, like Freddie.”

Joan hummed softly. She has only spent a few minutes with these girls, and she has already learnt more about them than in the span of a few years.

’’Freddie worked really hard to convince the board to let me dance.” Phoebe continued, blushing softly. ’’As you can tell, I’m not exactly built for those dainty little moves.”

’’Just like Regina has screamed the head of the coach off when she said I was too fat to be a cheerleader.” Etta mused, and Joan couldn’t help but smile. This warm atmosphere wasn’t exactly what she imagined, just like how she didn’t imagine to hear about the Queen Bee herself, the ’’tyrant” fighting tooth and nail to get a chubby girl on the cheerleading team. Maybe her and Brianna really were wrong about this whole bunch.

’’Aww, yeah, those two can be really aggressive when it comes to their friends.” Crystal grinned. ’’There’s actually a sweetness under those bitchy shells.” she was now directly talking to Joan, who felt her smile growing wider.

’’Yeah, and now Freddie is hitting two birds with one stone with Joan.” Etta chuckled, causing Joan to raise a confused eyebrow. ’’She could be her cute little mother hen self, and she could spend a lot of one-on-one time with her crush.”

’’Etta!” Jenny shrieked, covering her mouth with her hand quickly, but the truth was already out.

Joan could feel herself turning as red as a lobster, not able to think coherently even when Freddie returned with their trays, beautifully oblivious to the bomb Etta has dropped.

Freddie…has…a crush…on her?

After that revelation, the rest of the lunch was just white noise for Joan.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Siblings have to stick together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm peppering in some angst. This chapter and this storyline in general could be easily triggering, so please, read with caution. I'm not going to make it too explicit, but there will be mentions of emotional abuse and domestic violence.
> 
> (also, since I made the siblings genderbent too, Clark is Clare, Roger Taylor's sister).

She smiled faintly at the soft hair that tickled her chin; it’s been a while since they slept in the same bed, all cuddled up to each other like when they were little, seeking out comfort from each other’s warmth.

Regina let out a soft groan as her little brother elbowed her in the face upon stretching out, yawning.

’’Mornin’.” he slurred softly, not pulling away even after realizing he was still laying in Regina’s arms like a baby. He was fourteen now, and he tended to get embarrassed when people treated him like a small kid. But it was different now; he came here for comfort, and he wasn’t going to let go of it anytime soon.

’’It’s noon.” Regina chuckled, stretching out too, winching as her joints popped and creaked in protest. You would think her muscles were used to uncomfortable positions, her being the captain of the cheerleaders, but she still managed to tangle in up in sleeping positions that would make even the most flexible people’s bodies ache. The fact that Clark practically fell asleep on top of her, also didn’t help.

Clark hummed softly, moving a few inches away to roll onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. His brows were furrowed, his lips a thin line, seemingly lost deep within his thoughts. Regina sometimes found her in awe of her brother; he was still a child, needing the comfort of her big sister and hiding under furniture when things became too much, but he had a certain sense of maturity to him, one that was evident in the way he articulated his thoughts, the way he was almost philosophical at times.

Maybe he was too mature for a fourteen years old boy sometimes, and Regina’s heart clenched every time she thought about why.

’’I didn’t know if I could get away with pretending to be sick.” Clark admitted softly after some silence, worrying his lower lip between his teeth.

’’You had it much worse than me.”

Regina sighed deeply, combing a hair through his hair, silky soft and blonde, very much identical to her own.

’’You were scared. It makes sense you wanted to stay.”

’’I wasn’t scared for myself.” Clark said, turning to Regina, his eyes full of an emotion that made Regina’s chest fill with warmth.

’’I was scared for you.”

Regina gave him a weak smile, ruffling his hair again, chuckling softly when he lightly swatted her hand away. He hated it when people messed up his hair.

’’I’m okay.” Regina lied, but Clark clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

’’Bullshit. If you were, you wouldn’t be lounging here pretending to be sick.”

’’Touché.” Regina laughed, rolling onto her back, laying her head on her arm comfortingly.

’’Do you think they’ll get a divorce?” Clark asked, his voice hopeful, and Regina’s heart clenched again.

’’Mum really wants to.” she said quietly, swallowing around the lump in her throat. ’’This is not normal. The things that are going on here.”

She shivered softly at the memory of getting home late after studying over at Brianna’s, despite promising her father to be home early; he was shouting, but that was something their whole family was used to.

_ This is how he shows he’s worried about you._

It wasn’t the shouting, or being called a whore, that made her skin crawl so much she felt sick; it was the shove. Her father never laid a finger on any of them before; he always threatened them, called them names and punished them with silence and distance for days if they messed up, but he was never physical.

_ ’’If I say you’re home at seven, you’re home at seven! Were you out with a boy? Were you being a whore again?’’_

_ ’’Michael, she’s your child, you can’t call her that!”_

_ ’’Shut up! I was asking her, not you!”_

_ ’’I was studying, Dad! I swear, I was with Brianna, she’s helping me in Physics! You asked me to find someone that can tutor me, and I did! I’m trying my best!”_

_ ’’Don’t lie to me!” _

_ ’’I’m not lying! You were the one that asked me to get better grades, why the fuck are you attacking me when I’m doing just that!?”_

She wasn’t supposed to talk back. She was being disrespectful, but she was so angry: her Dad pressured her into getting the best grades possible, and she seeked out help, from the person she didn’t even like too much up until this point, and now she was being hurt over something she was doing right. She understood being punished when she messed up; this time, she knew she doing the rigth thing.

It wasn’t even that big of a shove, but the sheer knowledge her father would use his physical power to punish their children, was enough for Regina to completely lose it. She was sobbing on the floor like a toddler, curled up on herself, just barely hearing as her mother was screaming at his father, their voices shrill and full of anger, echoing off the walls.

So typical. Regina didn’t even remember when was the last time there wasn’t an argument in the house, when degrading words weren’t thrown at her or her brother or her Mum.

She didn’t remember when was the last time it was quiet and peaceful.

’’I thought he was gonna beat you up.” Clarke said, pulling her out of her thoughts. He shivered visibly, curling up against Regina’s side again.

Regina wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He was getting strong, his shoulders were broader and his arms were more muscular. He really wasn’t that little boy anymore-only inside, a little bit, when the sound of screaming and fine china shattering on the walls sent him under the bed or into Regina’s arms.

’’He wouldn’t do that.” Regina said, though her voice was frail, and she didn’t sound convincing, not even to her own ears.

’’Are you sure about that? He’s always so angry now. What if one day, he just snaps?”

Regina didn’t even want to think about that. The idea of her father hurting her Mum or her brother made her stomach churn. She definitely didn’t fancy the same fate for herself either, but seeing the two people she loved the most in the entire world getting hurt before her eyes was even worse.

They lay in silence for a while, until a buzz from Regina’s phone interrupted it. She glanced over at the screen, her heart doing a double flip inside her chest.

_I was just wondering how you’re feeling. You seemed so distraught when you left, and I’m a little worried. I hope you’re okay._

_Bri _

’’Is that your new boyfriend?” Clarke mused. Regina didn’t even realize he was peeking over her shoulders, reading the text.

’’Shut up.” Regina chuckled, playfully pushing him away. 

’’Then just a crush?” Clarke teased, wiggling his eyebrows. ’’What’s his full name? Brian?”

Regina hated how her cheeks turned red at the word ’crush.’

’’Brianna. She’s a girl. She helps me with Physics.”

’’And why are you blushing, if she’s a girl?” Clarke contined prying, clearly enjoying messing with her sister. ’’Are you coming out as a lesbian? I’d support you all the same.”

’’Clark!” Regina shrieked, throwing a pillow into his face, making him giggle. ’’Not at all! She’s just a…friend.”

’’Okay, then.” Clarke grinned, wriggling out from under the blanket to slip out of the bed.

’’I’m hungry, are you coming downstairs?”

’’In a minute.” Regina replied softly, waiting until her brother was out the door.

She was really glad the mood has lifted; she hated seeing her little brother so upset. And, well…maybe she was feeling a little warm from Brianna’s text.

Regina ignored the popping up of the other messages from Freddie and Crystal and then their groupchat, instead going straight to reply to Brianna.

_ I’m a little sick, I had to rush home because my brother came down with something and I had to grab him some stuff from the pharmacy. I got it from him, it’s probably the same stuff you’re dealing with._

She re-read the text, wincing at how mechanical it all seemed like. She was really good at crafting all kinds of lies when it came to her well-being.

She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, before she started typing again.

_ It’s really nice of you for asking._

She barely sent the text, and Brianna already replied with a smiley face.

The thought that Brianna was anxiously waiting for her reply made Regina’s lips curl into a giddy smile.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joan needs some help, and she turns to Brianna for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)

_ She smelled like peaches, Brianna mused inside giddily. It was sweet and fruity, maybe a little too much, even, but for some reason, Brianna couldn’t find it in herself to care. She just wanted to inhale more of that sweet scent, wanted to bury her face deeper into that addictively soft hair, feeling it tickle her cheeks lightly._

_ She barely weighed anything in her arms, light as a feather, and Brianna felt like they were floating; maybe they were, because she suddenly didn’t feel the bed or anything solid of a surface underneath them. They were just flying mindlessly, tangled up in each other, and Brianna never felt as calm as she did now._

_ Her heart fluttered happily as she finally turned her face to look at her, a beautiful smile playing on her pink lips, and Brianna leaned in, wanting to taste her there._

_ She wondered if Regina tasted like peaches._

Brianna nearly got a heart attack as a shrill ring pulled her out…no, the hell it did, it literally had her explode out of her dream, shooting up on the bed so violently she almost fell out of it.

She was just sitting there for a while, trying to catch her breath and making sense of her surroundings. Her heart was still pounding like a hammer inside her chest, and she clutched a hand over it to try and calm it down a little. She needed a few seconds of breathing exercise until she realized that the damn phone was still ringing. Brianna growled, grabbing at it with the intention to decline whoever that decided to interrupt her nap, but then she saw Joan’s name on the screen, so she picked it up, though a little reluctantly.

’’You woke me up, you monster.” Brianna snickered into the phone. ’’Don’t you have some empathy for your sick sister in arms?”

’’Brianna, we need to talk.” Joan’s voice sounded almost desperate, raising alarms in Brianna’s head right away.

’’What’s going on?”

’’It’s an emergency.” Joan replied with a tone that indicated she wasn’t gonna share any more details over the phone.

Brianna sighed, rubbing at her eyes. She really wasn’t feeling like getting up, still a little hazy with the aftershocks of her illness, but if her best friend was in trouble, she was willing to ignore that.

’’Do you wanna come over?”

’’Yes! I mean, are you feeling a little better? I won’t, if you…”

’’Nah, it’s fine.” She was feeling better, actually, though that didn’t mean she felt like getting out of bed soon. But, come on. It was Joan, and she sounded distraught. And if Joan Deacon sounded distraught, something truly horrible had to happen.

She took a deep breath after she hang up, rubbing at her temples. If anyone, she should be the one panicking. She just had a dream about Regina Taylor, and they were fucking cuddling! This wasn’t normal. Sure, okay, she probably didn’t hate Regina anymore, maybe she kind of…well, tolerated her a little better.

_ Stop lying to yourself. You like her._

Brianna groaned, throwing herself back on her bed. She definitely didn’t need her brain acting all funny all of a sudden. Dreams were all jumbled up messes, right? That didn’t mean she was into Regina, or anything. She was just probably spending too much time with her in the past few weeks, and that’s why she had a dream about her.

Though that still didn’t explain why she felt so comfortable leaning in for a kiss in her dream, why she blushed just thinking about it, why she still felt the scent of peach in her nose, and why that filled her with a giddy warmth.

For fuck’s sake. The flu has probably spread to her brain. There was simply no other explanation as to why she would be feeling this way.

She padded down the stairs to open the door for Joan, and she could tell by her friend’s face, that the journey to Brianna’s home didn’t manage to calm her down at all. She waved a quick goodbye to her Mum who drove away, before turning back to Brianna with a desperate look on her face.

’’I’m fucked.” She said simply, pushing in beside Brianna. Her back was doing so much better nowadays, but now she was limping again, seemingly finding the few steps to Brianna’s kitchen difficult- she sure as hell wasn’t gonna climb the stairs in this state. The stress, probably.

’’What’s going on?” Brianna asked, watching with concern as Joan slumped down onto a chair, hissing from the sudden pain that flared across her lower back.

’’Is anyone home?” She asked, looking around for any sign of life in the house, and Brianna shook her head.

’’My parents won’t be home until the late evening. What is going on, Joan?”

Joan took a deep breath before letting it out slowly, trying to get her pulse under control.

’’She has a crush on me.” She blurted out, causing Brianna’s eyebrows to shoot up to her hairline.

’’Who?” 

’’Freddie.” Joan replied, looking up at Brianna with panicked eyes. Brianna, herself, was about to choke on her own spit, so she wasn’t too much help.

’’WHAT!?”

’’Yeah.” Joan groaned, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.

’’Wow, that’s…” Brianna seriously didn’t find the words. The last thing she would be able to see is Freddie crushing on any of them. Weren’t they like…completely out of her league, by her standards? Shouldn’t she be dating one of the cheerleaders or something? Why would she, second in command of Regina’s clique, the ’’prima ballerina’’, lust after a nerd like Joan?

’’Did she tell you that?”

’’No, Etta did.”

Brianna had another violent coughing fit before she managed to speak again.

’’As in Etta John?”

’’Yep. I had lunch with Freddie, and she was there. And Crystal Taylor, Phoebe Freestone and Jenny Fanelli as well.”

Brianna was pretty sure she must have looked comical with her eyes practically bulging out of her head, but she simply wasn’t able to process all this information in one go.

’’You…you had lunch with The Clique?”

’’That’s not important right now!” Joan groaned, waving a dismissive hand. ’’Freddie has a fucking crush on me!”

Brianna took a seat opposite to Joan, passing her a glass of juice, but her friend just grunted something in response, that definitely sounded like ’’i don’t need fucking juice.”

’’Well…” Brianna started after a long silence, chewing over every word in her mind, not wanting Joan to freak out even more.

’’How do you feel about it?”

Joan gave another exhausted sound, rubbing at her face like she wanted to tear it off.

’’This is the fucking problem.” She moaned, and for a second Brianna almost thought she was gonna start crying.

’’I’m kind of pleased about it.”

When she looked up at Brianna, she could see the faintest hint of a smirk on her lips, and she growled.

’’Don’t you dare laugh at me! I came here for support, not to be mocked!”

’’You’re falling for her.” Brianna stated simply, and something inside her twinged, like something that has been tangled up in a mess, was finally released. It was that simple.

’’I’m not…I don’t know.” Joan groaned, burying her face in her hands.

Well, Brianna has noticed the signs. The way Joan’s eyes went soft whenever she talked about her ballet lesson with Freddie. The fact that she was even willing to talk about it, indicated that there was something special going on there. Brianna knew Joan since they were little kids: she had a hard shell, almost impossible to get through, but if you did, you found the sweetest, softest mush inside. 

And for what it’s worth, it seemed like Freddie managed to crack the shell a little bit.

’’I never would have thought she would be into me.” Joan continued, a little bit relaxed, but still in disbelief. ’’She always looked at me weird, I thought she was thinking what a fucking loser I was.”

’’And she was actually just lusting after you.” Brianna chuckled, expertly ducking away when Joan threw a napkin at her.

’’It seems so…but god, I just couldn’t imagine that!”

’’But are you happy about it?” Brianna asked softly, and she could see some tension drain from Joan’s posture.

’’I…I guess? I mean, we’re kind of social outcasts, Bri, and she’s popular, and she’s beautiful, and she has a crush on me of all people!”

Brianna couldn’t help but smile as she the pink blush spread across her best friend’s cheeks.

’’You think she’s beautiful?” She teased, and Joan gave her the middle finger, though she also turned a deeper shade of red.

’’I mean…have you seen her? Those eyes…like a fucking puppy, whenever she looks at me I just can’t say no to her, okay? I really, really tried to hate her but I can’t, because when she looks at me with those eyes, I just fucking melt on the spot! And her smile…oh man, why is her smile so damn cute? Remember when I used to say she looks like a horse? Dude, she doesn’t look like a horse at all, her smile is the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen! And that fucking body!? Ballet is more hardcore than varsity, I swear! Have you seen those legs? That butt? Those hips? She can put her legs in her neck! And she wears those tights and she has such a great ass, and then she’s bending over right in front of me! Her waist is ridiculous! It’s so tiny! Her whole body is fucking ridiculous, she is that 90-60-90 bullshit that everyone is talking about, a literal hourglass! And then she wears something low cut, and her breasts are fucking huge, and then I just want to choke on the spot because I can’t stop looking! And she’s smart, okay? We always thought she was stupid, but she’s not, and she’s kind and helpful and just so damn adorable, and…”

She finally ran out of breath at this point, and Brianna couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh. She has never heard Joan speak so much in one go, and she certainly never heard Joan gush about anyone so much before. Joan looked up, with a desperate look on her face.

’’Brianna, help.” She whined, and Brianna just laughed again, gently patting her hand.

’’Joan, you’re developing a massive crush on her.”

That twinge again. Like flicking on a lightswitch. As she said it out loud, she felt that strange emotion inside. Like something was reflected back on her. By looking at Joan, she saw herself as if she was looking into a mirror. She could trace back the steps as her hatred towards Regina dissipated into amicable terms, then somewhat of a friendship, then something she couldn’t quite place up until this point. She could see them having their usual lessons, Regina scrunching up her nose as she was trying to understand something difficult, and how Brianna sometimes found herself looking. How she felt that scent, that peachy scent that hypnotized her so much she could smell it in her dreams. How gorgeous Regina’s eyes were, god, Brianna could get lost in them forever. How she realized that Regina wasn’t that mean girl she always thought her to be. How she was smart and witty and had a big heart that she always tried to hide for some reason. How Brianna found herself excited when she knew Regina was coming to study with her. How worried she was about her when she abruptly left, how relieved she was when Regina texted back that she was okay.

Brianna looked up to see Joan clearly contemplating what she just said, looking as royally fucked about it as she felt.

’’You’re…you’re not the only one.” Brianna added after some silence, blushing violently.

Joan snapped her head up. ’’What? You have a crush on Freddie?” She clearly didn’t mean to growl, but she did, and Brianna laughed, holding up her hands defensively.

’’Whoa, whoa, okay there, Bull! I’m not planning to get inside her girl’s tutu, Mercury is all yours.”

Joan gave her the finger again with a snicker. ’’Shut up. Then what are you talking about?”

Brianna blushed again deeply, chewing on her bottom lip. It seemed to be a great day for confessions.

’’I…had a dream about Regina.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina is extremely nervous before her big test, and she needs someone to reassure her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really piling on the cute with these chapters, can you tell? 
> 
> Enjoy it while it lasts ;)

Regina was scared. No, she was outright panicking, only about a hair’s breadth away from shitting herself. She wasn’t as nervous when she auditioned for the Pom-Poms like she was now; she wished Freddie would be here, holding her hand and telling her that ’’everything is going to be okay, darling”, and they would do some breathing exercise, with Freddie showing the pattern and Regina following, trying not to choke on her own spit in her haste.

But Freddie had a class right now, and so did Crystal and Etta and Jenny and Phoebe, none of the members of her little pack was around to offer her comfort, to keep her grounded and promise her that everything is going to be okay.

She still had about half an hour before the test, but she was already pacing around in front of the classroom, trying to revisit everything in her head; she got most of the definitions right, they sprang back into her brain quickly, but man, was she scared of those fucking equations.

Regina knew she couldn’t fail this, she simply couldn’t: if she flunks this, she might have to repeat the year and she would surely lose her position on the cheerleader team, and she didn’t even want to think about her dad’s fury that would follow after. Oh, yes. Let’s just say, Regina was in a bit of a funk ever since that awful argument with her father about staying out late with Brianna, and her mind was occupied with everything, but Physics in the past few days, meaning she didn’t really have the time to practice as much as she wanted to. It was hard to think about the third law of thermodynamics, or any law of anything, basically, when her brain was full with her father’s venom, and…

Brianna.

Another thing to worry about. It’s not like Regina was having a crush on her, or anything –she wasn’t even gay, come on –but she did find herself thinking more and more about her. She almost…missed her, in those days when she decided to stay home to recover a bit while Brianna was still sick, missed that stupid bush of a hair on her head, that warm voice, the way she was now quick to fix her tone had it become intentionally arrogant or lecturing; how she seemed to try and be much more nicer to Regina, how she seemed to be ready to bury the hatchet.

Regina really, really tried to pretend her heart didn’t feel like it wanted to leap right out of her chest when Brianna gave her hand that encouraging little squeeze, how soft and caring her eyes were, how adorable that little smile was as she assured Regina that she got this, that she’s gonna do well on this test. She tried her best to ignore the blush on her cheeks whenever she remembered seeing Brianna in her ridiculous NASA tee, messy hair and cheeks rosy from sleep, voice a little more hoarse than usual as she greeted her. She didn’t want to think about how warm she felt inside when Brianna texted her, worried about her wellbeing after she all but ran out of her house after their study session.

She shook her head, as if to clear it from her thoughts. She just started to like Brianna, as a friend. That was it. The reason she found herself so flustered was because the change between hateful eyerolls and friendly hand-holding was too sudden. That was it. Damn, she was a really quick problem-solver. If she keeps this up, this test will turn out to be a damn doctoral dissertation. A tiny, rational little voice inside her tried to remind her that people didn’t have heart palpitations around a new friend, but she pushed it down. It really was just that, an emotional rollarcoaster where they went from enemies to friends, and obviously, it was a tiny bit overwhelming. Nothing to see here, nothing out of the ordinary.

She glanced at her phone to check the time, groaning when she realized she only had about fifteen minutes left until the test. Had she been philosophing over her relationship to Brianna for fifteen minutes!? God, she really needed something else to occupy her mind with, otherwise she would surely go mad.

Of course, nothing was that simple, and she found herself in trouble when she tried to practice some equations in her notebook to pass the time (and keep her mind off anything that weren’t strictly related to the test). The right formula just didn’t come, no matter what she did, and she felt her panic starting to rise even more. Great, exactly what she needed right before the test. How was that damn formula? She practised it a lot with Brianna, why couldn’t she remember, then?

Regina let out a miserable whine, the pencil technically break-dancing on the paper with how much her hands were shaking. Fuck, this wasn’t good. She needed help with this, and she needed it quickly.

She was just chewing on her bottom lip for a while, tapping the pencil against the paper anxiously, before she reached for her phone and started typing. Fuck her pride, fuck her weird, jumbled up feelings: she needed Brianna, right now.

And she didn’t even think about the warm premise of seeing her again, oh no, not at all.

Brianna practically dashed across the hallways, and it was the most ridiculous thing Regina has ever seen, and she found herself smiling despite the nerves, even more so when Brianna literally came to a screeching halt in front of her, her shoes creaking painfully against the PVC floor.

’’I came as quickly as I could.” She wheezed, and judging by that and her red cheeks, she ran the whole way. Regina couldn’t help but snicker a little inside; Brianna wasn’t a very athletic type, that was for sure. No wonder she was always sitting on the bench during gym class.

’’Thank you.” She said eventually, the reality of having to write that goddamn test coming back to crash down on her. ’’I just cannot remember the formula at all, I don’t even know how to start, and I’m freaking out!”

’’Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Brianna said softly, coming to sit besides Regina. The blonde didn’t blush at all when their knees bumped against one another, of course she didn’t.

’’Which one do you need?”

’’Density.”

Brianna gave a disbeliefed little laugh, and Regina huffed.

’’You’re not pulling this ’dumb blonde’ thing again, are you?”

’’No, no of course not!” Brianna said quickly, holding her hands up in defense. ’’It’s just…it’s one of the simplest formulas out there, and you had even the more complicated ones perfectly.” She explained, hoping the compliment in the end will get through to Regina. It did, if the fleeting smug smile on her face was any indication.

’’Yeah, that’s true. But I just can’t remember right now, and I’m panicking, big time!”

’’Regina, calm down.” Brianna said softly, giving her knee a squeeze that made Regina blush from head to toe, and Brianna looked mortified with herself, like she also couldn’t believe what she just did; she pulled her hand back quickly, like she just burned herself.

’’Erm…it’s m/V, basically.” Brianna stuttered, not daring to look Regina in the eyes. Just what the hell was she thinking, groping her leg like that!? She might be coming to terms with the fact that she is seeing Regina in a very different light like she did a few weeks ago, but that didn’t mean Regina felt the same way. She should keep her stupid feelings, and her hands, to herself.

’’Right.” Regina hummed, scribbling it down quickly before she forgot it again. Her entire body felt almost uncomfortably warm from that single touch, and she wondered if she was coming down with something; maybe she did catch something from Brianna when she went over, and it was just a sign of a soon to be fever. There was simply no other explanation. 

And probably Brianna wasn’t completely healthy either, because her cheeks were almost abnormally red, and she definitely looked like she was going to vomit all over Regina’s skirt, which would easily put them back on enemy-terms, no matter how much better Regina could handle her company now.

’’Do you…need anything else? Something you don’t remember, or need to revise?” Brianna’s voice sounded nervous, like she was the one that was about to take that awful fucking test in mere minutes. Not like she would have to worry about anything concerning Physics, mind her. She could probably go in there and ace everything without breaking a sweat, while Regina felt like she was heading to her execution soon.

’’I think I’ve got the rest, thanks.” Regina replied quietly. This stupid subject was clearly messing with her mind: it was so not like her to feel so small and vulnerable, damn near about to curl up into a tiny ball and hide behind her hair.

Brianna hummed softly, not really knowing what to say for a while. She was such a damn loser, throwing everything away and running like a madman when Regina texted her for help; had someone told her a few weeks ago that she would do that for Regina Taylor, of all people, she would have had laughed in their face, or would have been very much offended the very least. And yet, here she was now, a whipped knight to a needy princess. She couldn’t believe she was developing a crush on someone she detested for years: no wonder Joan almost passed out when she confessed, encouraged by Joan’s own realization that she might be more into Freddie than she would like to admit. But…that was the truth, and as much as Brianna hoped it would go away, she knew she couldn’t lie to herself anymore.

Regina looked about to cry next to her, bottom lip caught anxiously between her teeth, nose scrunched up and eyebrows knitted together, her legs bouncing as she waited for the last few minutes to pass. She looked so vulnerable, so fragile amidst her panic, Brianna just wanted to bundle her up in thick, warm blankets and promise her that everything will be okay. The first one seemed a little weird and definitely inappropriate, but she could do the latter at least.

’’You’ll do great, Regina.” She said softly, and Regina finally looked at her again, her sky blue eyes swimming with fear. ’’You practised so much, and you’re smart.”

Regina chuckled softly, that beautiful pink blush spreading on her cheeks again.

’’Look at us, now.” She said, trying to ignore the double meaning that tried to creep into her words. ’’We wanted to kill each other a few weeks ago, and now you’re calling me smart. You’re developing a sense of empathy, I can tell.”

Brianna rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help a little smile. ’’So are you. And now you ask for my help unprompted, so I guess I’m not that terrible of a teacher, huh?”

’’No.” Regina said, her voice more sincere than probably ever before in her life. ’’You’re not a terrible teacher.”

They just kept looking at each other in silence, like it was the first time they have seen each other: maybe it was true, in a way. It was the first time they truly took a good look, letting themselves be seen and letting years of misconceptions and petty arguments crumble down to replaced by something else, something new, like a fresh start, a clean sheet, a start-over, without the uncessesary digs and leers, hating each other for basically no reason, too overcome by their inflated egos to see what has been right in front of their noses this entire time. It was so different now, and for the first time, neither Regina nor Brianna felt scared by that sense of new and different.

Maybe something had truly cracked that day, maybe the finally allowed to let some light in, because Regina didn’t even think about pulling away when Brianna wrapped her arms around her, squeezing her in a tight hug and telling her again that she got this.

Regina really felt like she did, now that Brianna’s arms were around her, warm and safe and protective, something she never would have guessed those arms could be.

And Brianna couldn’t deny how heart fluttered when she breathed in the smell of Regina’s hair, basking in the sweet, peachy scent.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Regina's test.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gotta admit, this is a little bit of a filler chapter; more interesting stuff is coming soon I promise! :)

Brianna didn’t even want to wait up for her- surely that was a little bit too much…? And yet, she has found herself stuck on the same bench, nervously chewing on her nails while Regina took the test. She hoped the blonde will pass: she really did make progress in the past few weeks, and Brianna would hate to see her lost and disappointed. For some reason, she had a feeling that if Regina didn’t pass this time, she is going to blame it on Brianna –she was the one that helped her prepare, after all –and then they will be back to square one, and all the progress their relationship has made will be lost completely. Not an outcome Brianna fancied, that was for sure.

She almost got knocked down from the bench by a sudden whirlwind that was Regina storming out of the classroom and appearing in front of her in one swoop. Her eyes were brimming, and there was a wide grin on her face: Brianna felt her heart flutter happily.

’’Good news, I assume?” She asked, already grinning. Regina nodded, her blonde hair flapping around her face with the fervor.

’’I asked the teacher to correct mine right away because it’s so important, and she agreed, and I passed!” Regina was all but squealing, a sound Brianna was pretty sure she has never heard from her, but it just made her feel all the more giddy; Regina was happy, practically bouncing, and Brianna’s face ached from her wide grin.

’’Congratulations!” Brianna laughed. She stood to give her another hug, but backtracked; surely one hug was enough for today, right? She didn’t want Regina to get the wrong idea, or get scared. They weren’t even friends yet…or were they? Seriously, what were they?

Brianna stood before her, fidgeting with her hands: she was practically itching to sweep Regina into a crushing hug, to squeeze her close and inhale that addictive, sweet scent, to feel the warmth radiating off her, but fuck, that would be so inappropriate. One hug was more than enough; it was a wonder the blonde didn’t push her away for the first time.

Regina gave her a small smile, making a move like she was going to step forward, but changed her mind apparently, crossing her hands behind herself instead, like she was scared she will touch Brianna against her better judgement if they stay afront. That was kind of the thing she was scared of, actually: she still felt that damn hug, even during the test, like Brianna’s arms were still enveloping her, and she wanted more, more of that warmth and safety. Except, she knew exactly Brianna would freak out if she went in for another hug: the only reason she hugged Regina before was because she saw she was falling apart from the nerves. There’s no reason to read more into it.

’’Uhm…thank you, Brianna.” Regina said after some awkward silence, trying to ignore how warm and red her cheeks became. ’’For helping me, despite…despite the fact I wasn’t always nice to you.”

’’Well, you are welcome.” Brianna replied, equally flustered. A sudden twinge of pain shot across her chest: is this like a…goodbye? Did Regina only need her help for this one test, and one test only? Are their study sessions over for good? This…friendship-like relationship will be over? That was it?

Funny thing is, a few weeks ago, Brianna literally prayed for some higher force to take Regina and her annoying attitude off her hands somehow, and now, the mere idea that she can’t help Regina again made her heart ache. She really was a fucking loser, for more than one reason.

’’I think this calls for a celebration.” Regina announced suddenly, shaking her back from her thoughts. The blonde was practically buzzing, her cheeks delightfully pink, and Brianna found herself smiling despite that strange feeling gnawing at her from the realization that yes, this might be the end of it.

’’I know I should watch my weight, but you know what, fuck it! I deserve pizza after that!” Regina chirped, and Brianna laughed softly.

’’Yeah, I think you do. Well, have fun.”

That stupid feeling again. God, Brianna, moderate yourself, she thought bitterly. Regina raised a surprised eyebrow, before blushing deeply.

’’Uhm…I was thinking…” She swallowed thickly, audibly, averting her gaze for a second to pull herself together.

_ Come on, you are not asking her out on a date, get your shit together._

’’…maybe you could come with me?” The look on Brianna’s face made her heart drop, and she was quick to explain herself.

’’I mean, you don’t have to, of course, if you just…I guess I wanna thank you for helping me? But you don’t have to, it’s all fine by me, it’s okay.”

She was speaking a mile a minute, and Brianna barely caught what she was saying. She was pretty sure she has never seen Regina this flustered, and in exchange, her heart started beating faster too. Did Regina just ask her, like explicitly ask her if she wanted to have pizza with her? Was she still sleeping at home, and is this just a fever dream? Maybe it is, there was no way this was actually real.

And yet, Regina looking up at her almost shyly from under her long lashes, bottom lip caught between her teeth anxiously seemed more real than ever, and Brianna felt a new wave of warmth flood her cheeks.

’’I…I’d love to.” She said, her voice so quiet and uncertain she wasn’t even sure Regina heard her. She did, apparently, because she gave her a beautiful smile that made Brianna’s head swim.

’’Cool!” Regina quickly realized she sounded a little too eager, so she cleared her throat, trying to pretend like it didn’t even slip out.

’’Alright. Maybe at seven, at Foster’s Pizza?”

Brianna nodded, than suddenly she got an idea. Though the implication of spending an evening with Regina, just the two of them, sounded like an oppurtinity she couldn’t pass up on, she felt like someone else needed a little lucky strike tonight.

’’Do you think Joan and Freddie could come along too?” Brianna asked, and Regina’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

’’What, why? Are they…Freddie didn’t even tell me!” The blonde looked utterly scandalized, and now Brianna was the one confused.

’’Tell you what?”

’’That they are dating.” Regina said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Brianna nearly choked on her own spit.

’’What? They are not dating.”

’’Then why would you ask them to come along? Like a double-date?”

Brianna didn’t nearly choke on her spit now, but she actually did, coughing violently. It took her a few moments and some awkward pats on the back from Regina before she could speak again.

’’Is this…a date?”

Regina only now realized what she said, and she was more than horrified. She shook her head quickly, though how pale her cheeks have gone didn’t fail to catch Brianna’s attention.

’’No! It’s not! Of course it’s not, just a slip of the tongue.” Regina explained quickly, suddenly wishing the floor would just open and swallow her whole. Why the hell did she say date!? Of course it wasn’t a date, what the hell has gotten into her!?

’’Of course it’s not.” Brianna echoed numbly, feeling like she might pass out any minute. Just what in the hell was going on with this entire conversation? Was Regina…did she ask her out on a date? Or…was it really just a slip of the tongue? What the hell is this, and why was she having heart palpitations again?

’’Of course.” Regina said again, steeling herself. For fuck’s sake, Physics have driven her crazy. There was no other explanation as to why she would babble nonsense to Brianna.

It seemed like hours have passed in long, uncomfortable silence before Regina could get her voice to work again.

’’Uhm…okay, so…why do you want Joan and Freddie to come along?”

’’Well…something tells me you know that Freddie has a crush on Joan.” Brianna chuckled softly, and Regina rolled her eyes with a fond little smile.

’’Crush is a light expression. She would kiss the ground Joan walks on.”

Brianna laughed softly. Well, the same seemed to be true to Joan.

’’Would you be surprised if I said the feeling is mutual?”

Regina’s jaw dropped. ’’No way!”

’’Yes.” Brianna laughed. ’’They are oblivious as hell.”

’’I always thought Joan hated Freddie.” Regina mused, though she couldn’t deny she was happy for her friend. ’’She will lose her mind if she finds out Joan actually likes her!”

’’Joan will never tell her.” Brianna stated with a snort. ’’She’s too chicken about it.”

’’So is Freddie.” Regina added, shaking her head. ’’You know, she’s all bubbly and confident, but if a pretty girl smiles at her she pees herself.”

Brianna laughed heartily, and Regina followed suit. A teacher even popped out to shush them, so they had to resort to quiet giggling in the end.

’’Sooo…am I sensing you want to drag them along, so they might admit their feelings over a pizza?” Regina chuckled, and Brianna gave a little shrug with a grin.

’’Maybe not the best plan, but if they are both into each other, than what’s the harm? We just need to give them a little push.”

’’Yeah. It would suck to see them pining for each other.” Regina admitted. ’’When you are both head over heels for each other, but you can’t admit it? Awful.”

’’Yeah.” Brianna said, a blush high on her cheeks, and she wasn’t alone with that: Regina went pretty pink in the face too.

’’Awful.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anyone fancy a pizza?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the first part of the pizza date...ahem, no it's not a date at all, what are you talking about *innocent eyes*
> 
> To avoid confusion, Kareem is genderbent Kashmira Bulsara.
> 
> Comments and any kind of feedback, really, is appreciated! :))

Freddie has tried on at least ten dresses before she eventually settled on a light pink sundress that went fantastically with her skin tone. She threw nervous glances at her reflection in the mirror: was it maybe too much? The cleavage was pretty deep, after all. If you got it, flaunt it, she suddenly remembered Regina’s words. And well, didn’t she want Joan to fawn over her?

When she received Regina’s text that said ’’I hope you’re hungry, bitch”, she expected to have a one-on-one dinner, which she was thrilled about. Regina was in a bit of a funk in the past few days, and Freddie was kind of missing her bestie.

What she didn’t expect, though, was Regina to tell her that Joan was coming along too, so she better looked her best. Freddie nearly dropped her phone at that, and let out a scream that startled poor Miko. She made a mental note to apologize to the cat later. Now she needed to focus on looking her best for Joan. She wasn’t exactly sure what the agenda was here- why would Joan come along with them?- but she definitely wasn’t going to complain. She was agonizing over her hair for long minutes before deciding to just let it fall over her shoulders in their natural wave; Regina has told she looked cuter with curls than with straightened hair. She put on some solid make-up, a slightly shorter wing of her eyeliner and just enough mascara to make her eyes look even bigger and more innocent. She looked sweet, but did she look too sweet? Maybe she shouldn’t wear pink. Maybe her skin was too dark for it? Would it bother Joan? And why the hell was she fretting over that in general? It’s not like Joan reciprocated her feelings or anything. Sure, Freddie couldn’t exactly turn off her instinct to look her best for her, even though she knew it was kind of futile. Maybe she would receive an appreciative hum, but that’s all. She was too loud, too giggly, too childish. Joan was probably a little scared of her. And who knows, maybe she wouldn’t even be Joan’s type look-wise. She was very tiny, and her skin wasn’t light enough, and her teeth were too big, and so were her boobs. Why would Joan go for someone like her?

She sighed, fiddling with the little silver cat necklace around her neck. She was so excited about this, but now she wasn’t sure anymore. Maybe it would be better if she just declined. She was dressing herself up as a doll for nothing.

But there was that little voice inside her that kept telling her to at least go and give it a try. Maybe Joan won’t be all over her by the end of dinner, but maybe she would smile at her. And at this point, that would be enough for Freddie.

Joan had to say ’’I’m fine, Mum, I can drive” over and over, but Lillian still hovered anxiously in the doorway. Joan was getting much better, but so far her Mum drove her everywhere to make sure she could rest her back. But not tonight. No way in hell would she be driven by her Mum to the pizzeria. Well…to Freddie’s house, first. Because she wanted to pick her up. And if she wanted to impress her, she had to drive her own car, even if it snaps her spine in two.

She almost choked when Brianna texted her to cancel any plans she would have had for that night –what kind of plans would she have, anyway? –because she was having pizza with her and Regina, and Freddie would be there too. Now that was a great time to have a heart attack. If Joan didn’t spend two hours trying to figure out what to wear, than she didn’t spend any. Her Mum popped in, grinning at the pile of clothes on Joan’s bed.

’’Are you having a date?” She asked, making Joan let out a groan.

’’No! God, Mum. No, I’m just going out to have a pizza with a few friends.”

’’A few friends?” Lillian repeated, raising an eyebrow. ’’What friends do you have besides Brianna May?”

Joan huffed, buttoning her shirt. ’’Thanks for reminding me I’m a loser, Mum.”

Lillian tried to grill her some more about her plans for the evening, but Joan was too occupied trying to fix her hair. It just wasn’t working, so she ended up tying it up into a ponytail, hoping she didn’t look too much of a slob. She frowned at her crutches. Technically, she knew she would need them still, but she hated fiddling with them in front of Freddie. But she has seen her with them before, and was still crushing on Joan, with or without the crutches. Joan blushed at the thought. It was so strange to think that Freddie would have a crush on her of all people. She couldn’t help but feel a little insecure. What if Etta wasn’t serious? What if she only said that because she wanted to play a prank on them? Maybe she just wanted to embarrass her friend a little, it’s not like Joan and Brianna didn’t do that to each other all the time. 

She let out a nervous huff, straightening her back as much as she could. She could do this. It’s gonna be okay: she was going to look her best, try and stop being awkward, and woo Freddie. Or she will just shrivel up and die, that one seemed like a more realistic outcome.

Joan has contemplated driving away the minute she parked in front of the Bulsara house. It was kind of strange, thinking about Freddie with her real name: everyone, even the teachers called her Mercury, and it just stuck. It fits her, Joan mused, unable to wipe the stupid grin off her face.

She took a few breaths to calm herself before struggling out of the car, cursing her damn injury and her crutches. She hardly looked like a romantic hero when she couldn’t walk on her own normally. Her fingers trembled as she pressed on the doorbell, really hoping that Freddie hadn’t left with Regina. She told Brianna to pass on the message that she wanted to surprise Freddie by picking her up, but that lovesick idiot could easily forgot in her own haste to impress Regina.

The door opened to reveal a boy only a few years younger than them, looking strikingly similar to Freddie. He grinned up at Joan like she was the funniest thing he has ever seen, and Joan felt her confidence waver again.

’’Hi.” She croaked, trying hard to look the boy in the eyes. ’’Is Freddie home?”

’’Are you her new girlfriend?” The boy asked with a shit-eating grin, and Joan felt herself blush deeply. God, but did she want to run away if she could.

’’Errm…no, we’re just friends.” She stuttered, and the boy chuckled.

’’Sure you are.” He turned towards the stairs, shouting ’’Freddie, your girlfriend is here!”, making Joan bury her face in her hands, wishing she could just die right there.

’’Kareem, what the hell?” Freddie squeaked as she strodded down the stairs, sending her brother a glare. ’’Why are you screaming?”

Kareem gestured towards the door, and Freddie’s breath hitched in her throat.

Joan was standing there, in a black shirt and white jeans, looking like an absolute dream, smiling at her shyly. Freddie was pretty sure she was going to have a heart attack if she keeps looking at her like that.

’’Hi.” Joan greeted her softly, her cheeks growing red as she took in the sight of Freddie in her light pink dress, easily the most gorgeous thing Joan has ever laid her eyes on.

’’You…you look beautiful.” She squeezed out, feeling herself flush from head to toe. God, was it too much?

Apparently not, because Freddie blushed beautifully, the color on her cheeks matching her dress. ’’Thank you.” She said softly, smiling. ’’You clean up really nice too.”

Freddie wasn’t sure if she was allowed to call Joan beautiful: that word didn’t even match how amazing she looked, and also, she was a little bit more butch, not someone that seemed to enjoy being dainty. She smiled at Freddie nonetheless, her green eyes sparkling in the light of the hallway, and Freddie was gone.

Kareem snorted, trodding back into his room, throwing a ’’lovebirds” over his shoulder, much to both of their utter embarrassment.

’’Don’t mind him.” Freddie chuckled softly as they stepped outside. ’’He’s a little idiot, but I love him a lot.”

Joan smiled, unable to stop looking away from Freddie. Fuck, how could someone be this beautiful!? ’’I have a little brother too.” She said softly. ’’They could be a menace, huh?”

Freddie giggled, blushing again when Joan opened the car door for her. ’’Yeah, well. We need to keep them in line.”

Joan just grinned, not even feeling awkward by the small talk. Freddie was sitting next to her, and she smelled like lavender, and Joan was happy.

Regina and Brianna were already at Foster’s Pizza when they arrived, and though Regina heavily insisted this wasn’t a date, she sure as hell looked she was on one with her deeply-cut out green dress and her statement necklace. Brianna looked more sophisticated than usual, in a white blouse with lace sleeves (that made Regina’s heart flutter the moment she saw her) and black jeans. 

In fact, despite their insistence of this not being a double date, no one in the pizzeria had a doubt that it kind of was.

’’Finally!” Regina gave them a teasing smirk before grabbing the menu. ’’So can we order something already?”

’’Tsk, tsk. Be a little patient, darling.” Freddie cooed, not missing how close Regina and Brianna were sitting to each other. The fact that they were sitting next to each other was already something that raised a few questions in her head.

Also, that meant she was sitting next to Joan, and that definitely made her feel near fainting.

’’Maybe we could share?” Brianna offered, skimming the menu. ’’Maybe we could order a large one.”

’’You and Freddie could share one.” Regina offered to Joan with a shit-eating grin, earning a little squeak from Freddie and a splutter from Joan.

’’Uhm…sure. If you want to…?” She turned to Freddie, tucking a piece of hair that broke free out of her ponytail behind her ear nervously. Freddie gave her a mellow smile, fidgeting with her necklace.

’’Sounds good…” She suddenly froze. Oh. So this was the agenda. She looked at Regina’s smirk and Brianna’s knowing gaze, and it all clicked. They were trying to set her up with Joan. Well, two can play this game, ’cause her and Joan definitely weren’t the only people that needed a little push.

’’And you two can share too.” Freddie chirped, sending the other two a sweet smile. Brianna blushed deeply, and Regina bit her lip, trying to resist the urge to strangle Freddie.

’’I think this is a great idea.” Joan added, smirking at Brianna. She knew what this was all about, so why shouldn’t the same happen to Brianna and Regina?

’’Think you could share your cheese pizza with Regina?”

Brianna glanced at Regina who looked quite pink in the cheeks, avoiding her gaze to look at the menu instead.

’’Well...do you want that, Reg?”

The nickname didn’t fail to catch Regina’s attention, and she damned her stupid heart for fluttering again.

’’Yeah, that’s fine. Though I need to hit the ladies first, Freddie, come with me.”

It wasn’t a request, it was an order, and Freddie followed her right away, barely holding back her giggles.

’’Are you trying to embarrass me?” Brianna asked, looking at Joan in disbelief. Joan just chuckled, giving her hand a little pat.

’’No, idiot, I’m trying to push you into admitting your feelings for her.”

Brianna groaned, rubbing at her face. It was red as a tomato already, it didn’t really matter.

’’Not going to happen. Regina doesn’t feel the same way.”

Joan snorted, looking at her like she just announced she wanted to be a clown instead of an astrophysicist. ’’Brianna, that girl is blushing like crazy everytime you look at her. Regina Taylor never blushes.”

’’She’s just embarrassed.” Brianna huffed, hiding her face behind the menu. ’’It’s not the same as you with Freddie. You are both into each other, you just can’t admit it. This is one-sided, and I better get used to it.”

Joan really wanted to whack Brianna over the head with her crutches. Was she really that blind? Did she seriously not notice how Regina was looking at her?

’’Brianna, she likes you.” Joan said softly. Brianna shook her head, though her blush only grew deeper. ’’I’m serious.” Joan quipped. ’’How can you not see it?”

’’Focus on wooing Freddie, that’s why we brought you here. Stop this.” Brianna growled, and Joan didn’t realize someone could order pizza angrily, but Brianna managed.

Hopeless, Joan thought bitterly.

’’What the hell, Freddie!?” Regina snapped once they were in the toilet, safely hidden.

’’What was that?”

’’I’m just doing the same thing you are doing.” Freddie chirped, looking utterly smug with herself. ’’I’m making sure you two will stop making heart eyes at each other and start making out instead.”

Regina huffed, though the blush on her cheeks was pretty tell-tale.

’’I’m not gay, Freddie.” She croaked, and Freddie had the nerve to let out a huff of laughter.

’’Oh come on, Blondie. Then why are you looking at Brianna like she hung the Moon? You don’t look at me like that. You don’t look at Crystal like that, or Phoebe, or Jenny or Etta. We are your friends. This is different, you have to admit it.”

Regina shook her head, looking like a trapped animal as she kept pacing, growing redder and redder in the face. 

’’I had boyfriends.” Regina tried to protest, and Freddie sighed deeply.

’’I had one too, remember? And then I realized that I prefer eggs to sausages.”

Regina made a sour face, much to Freddie’s amusement. ’’Please, don’t ever say that again. I’m begging you.”

Freddie laughed, then her eyes softened. She stepped closer, grabbing Regina’s shoulders, forcing her to look at her.

’’It’s okay, Regina. You know it is.”

Regina groaned, looking utterly miserable. ’’But that’s not…I’m not gay, Freddie.”

’’You could be bi.” Freddie offered, and Regina all but whined.

’’I’m straight, for fuck’s sake! And I…maybe I do consider Brianna a friend, but that’s it. I’m not in love with her.”

Freddie rolled her eyes. Jesus, this girl was absolutely hopeless. Even the blind could see how much she was into Brianna, why couldn’t she just accept it?

’’You could never lie to me.” Freddie said softly, giving Regina a small smile. ’’Maybe you can deceive other people, but not me. I know you too well for that. I’m not the only one with a crush here, Reg.”

Regina let out another sigh, ducking her head. She looked up again after a while, forcing a smile onto her face.

’’What about you? Enjoying your dinner with Joan?”

Freddie chuckled nervously, and now it was her turn to avert her gaze.

’’I know you are trying to set us up, but Joan doesn’t have a crush on me. Not like your Brianna, she looks like she will propose to you any minute.”

Regina blushed again, but she rolled her eyes all the same.

’’Stop that bullshit. Let’s focus on the reality here: you are into Joan, and she’s into you.”

Freddie snorted. ’’No, she’s not.”

Regina grinned, patting Freddie’s cheek. ’’What if I told you, that I know for a fact that she is?”

Freddie’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, staring at Regina bewildered.

’’WHAT!? Who told you that?”

’’A reliable source.” Regina grinned, already pushing a stumbling Freddie towards the exit.

’’You can stop playing coy. She’s head over heels for you, just like you are for her. Time to seduce, baby.” She slapped Freddie’s ass playfully, causing her to yelp.

I could advise you the same, Freddie thought.

But right now, most of her focus was on the fact that Joan was apparently reciprocating her feelings after all. Time to seduce then, for sure.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more pizza date shenanigans.

Freddie was as pink as her dress when she came back from the bathroom, with Regina grinning smugly on her heels, causing Joan to raise a curious eyebrow at them. What the hell happened in there?

When Freddie met her eyes across the distance, she seemed to be hesitating for a second, like she didn’t recognize Joan- and then she smiled. Her lips curled into the sweetest, most beautiful smile Joan has ever seen, and she found herself smiling back right away. She heard Brianna mumble something akin to ’’get it stud”, or it might have been just her imagination; but who cares, when Freddie smiled at her like that!?

She came to sit next to Joan again, and her hip brushed against her on the way down. That simple touch sent electricity all over Joan’s skin, and she didn’t even have to see her own face to know she was blushing like mad.

’’Did you order our pizza? I’m starving.” Regina said dramatically, taking her place next to Brianna. The brunette sent her a questioning look, and Regina just smirked, hiding it behind her soda can so Joan and Freddie wouldn’t see it.

Not like Freddie looked at anyone but Joan, really.

She clearly took Regina’s advice, because she was sitting so close to Joan their shoulders touched, and Regina was pretty sure she has never seen Freddie smile so prettily at anyone before.

’’What are we having, darling?” Freddie asked, batting her eyelashes. Joan gulped, trying her outmost not to ogle Freddie.

’’Pepperoni. Is that alright with you?” Joan asked, suddenly feeling like she would bend over backwards, even with her injured back just to please Freddie. The idea of that beautiful smile leaving her face seemed unbearable right now.

’’It’s perfect.” Freddie said, tilting her head in a way she knew was positively adorable, and sure enough, Joan looked at her like she wanted to kiss her right on the spot. This idea made Freddie blush deeper.

Regina and Brianna shared another look. ’’What did you do?” Brianna mouthed, and Regina chuckled softly, pulling out her phone to communicate without Freddie and Joan hearing it.

_ I told Freddie Joan has a massive crush on her. Now she’s trying to be seductive._

Brianna grinned, typing her own response.

_ Good job! :))) _

Regina wasn’t sure why being praised by Brianna, and why the smile the other girl gave her made her heart skip a few beats, but at this point, she didn’t really mind. It seemed like Freddie and Joan were finally on track, and they might stop pining for each other soon! They were so ridiculous, not seeing what was right in front of their noses all this time. Regina was proud to get the ball rolling with them.

Though she couldn’t help replaying what Freddie told her in the bathroom: did she really look like she was having a crush on Brianna? Why would she? She didn’t act like Freddie at all….

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. She was acting just like Freddie: the same blush on her cheeks whenever someone just mentioned Brianna’s name. That stupid, giddy smile that she couldn’t wipe off her face no matter how hard she tried. Her stomach tensing up into a tiny ball. Her heart pounding so hard she was scared at times that she was going to have a heart attack. Feeling over the Moon when Brianna texted her to check if she was okay. Being touched because Brianna cared about her. Melting when she hugged her. Not wanting to let her go, wanting that hug to last longer. Still feeling, missing Brianna’s arms around her while she was writing her test. That gut-wrenching fear that Brianna might think she wouldn’t need her help with Physics anymore now that she took that test, and she wouldn’t see her that often. The idea that they might go back to strangers, even enemies, feeling like a stab in the gut. The dreams she had about kissing Brianna. All the times her eyes lingered on her lips a little too long. How adorable she looked in that NASA tee, even though she was sick. How domestic it all felt even though that was the first time Regina went over to her house. The electricity running over her skin when Brianna squeezed her hand encouragingly the first time. The same fucking symptoms Freddie had, and the same fucking symptoms she experienced every time she fell for a boy.

She had a crush on Brianna.

Regina nearly spat out her soda when a warm hand tentatively placed itself on her shoulder, giving the most gentle squeeze. She spluttered, turning her head to meet Brianna’s concerned eyes. Those, beautiful, warm, hazel eyes…

’’Are you okay?” Brianna asked, her voice full of concern. ’’You seem very placed-out.”

Regina shook her head, forcing a smile onto her face, though she damned herself internally at how she blushed again. Why the hell can’t she control her stupid face!?

’’I’m fine.” She croaked, straightening her back. Brianna was still looking at her with that caring look in her eyes, and Regina wanted her to look away, because she knew she was going to pass out like that.

’’Erm…so, cheese pizza?”

That was the only thing her mushy brain could muster, and it wasn’t even coherent. She was aiming for something like ’’did you order cheese pizza, then?” but after a realization like that, how could anyone expect her to speak in intelligent sentences?

’’Yeah, I hope it’s fine.” Brianna said softly, her hands itching to brush that stray piece of hair out of Regina’s face, but she stopped herself with sheer willpower.

’’Sure, I know you’re a vegetarian.” Regina replied, suddenly remembering spitting into Brianna’s salad when she asked for lunch in exchange of tutoring for the first time. God, she hoped she didn’t eat it.

Brianna seemed to remember the same thing, because she snorted, reaching for her own soda to try and mask it. She chucked the salad into the garbage bin because she was pretty sure Regina spat into it, if not worse. They have come pretty far since then.

Not as far as Freddie and Joan, who seemed to have completely forgotten about the other two at the table.

’’So I’m playing Juliet this time.” Freddie chirped, fiddling with her necklace. Joan’s eyes seemed to have transixed on that (or maybe she was just subtly staring at Freddie’s cleavage; either way, Freddie was absolutely fine with it).

Joan was looking at her in complete awe. It might have been fake just to woo Freddie –why would a varsity player care about ballet, after all- or maybe she genuinely cared about what she was saying. Again, Freddie blushed nonetheless.

’’I’ve never seen ballet before.” Joan admitted, and the smile she gave Freddie seemed totally sincere. She did care, she really did, and Freddie wanted to kiss her right there, but she moderated herself for now.

’’Well, it’s not exactly the Royal Ballet.” Freddie laughed softly, looking up at Joan from under her lashes coyly. ’’It’s just a school show.”

’’Is that what you are aiming for? To get into the Royal?” Joan asked, leaning forward on her elbow. From this distance, she could smell Freddie’s lavender perfume, and it made her head swim in all the best ways.

Freddie gave a dreamy sigh and a wonderful toothy smile, but her hand immediately flew up to hide her mouth. Joan reacted on autopilot, not even thinking it trough as she gently grabbed Freddie’s wrist, pulling her hand away from her mouth. Freddie blushed and her eyes widened, looking at Joan in utter confusion.

’’Sorry.” Joan mumbled, finally gaining some of her sense back. She shouldn’t have done that, she stepped over a line.

’’Why did you do that for?” Freddie asked. She didn’t sound angry, she sounded curious.

’’Well…” Joan croaked, scratching at the back of her neck awkwardly. ’’You always hide your mouth when you smile, and I think you shouldn’t.”

She could have just left it at that, Freddie got her explanation, but then a tiny little voice inside her that sounded like Brianna spoke up ’’get it, stud”, and she added, trying to sound confident:

’’Because you have a beautiful smile, Freddie.”

Freddie swallowed audibly, looking one hair’s breadth away from passing out. Joan was worried that she might have fucked this up, maybe she really went too far this time. But then Freddie smiled, a little uncertain, but with teeth, and her eyes were sparkling beautifully.

’’Thank you, Joan. So do you.”

’’Oh my god.” Brianna mouthed, and Regina grinned. Damn, this was cheesy as hell, absolutely syrupy and baby pink, but she was so happy for her friend. Their plan seemed to be working.

Her brain short-circuited again when Brianna placed a hand on her knee, squeezing it gently, giving her a shy smile. Regina honestly didn’t know how to handle this. Why was Brianna looking at her like that? She really is going to end up having a heart attack at this point.

She hesitated for seconds that seemed like ages, and Brianna went to pull her hand away, but then Regina placed her own, smaller hand on top of it, giving the tiniest squeeze. Maybe Brianna would freak out, but Regina wanted to feel her warm hand against hers for some reason. And Brianna’s blush deepened, but her smile only widened, and it weird as it sounded, neither of them made the effort to pull their hands away. It just felt…natural. And comfortable. So the hands stayed where they were until the pizzas arrived.

’’Yeah, I mean…that is what I’m aiming for. A scholarship to get there.” Freddie explained softly, unable to stop grinning. Joan called her smile beautiful, and she was practically melting.

’’I’m pretty sure you will.” Joan mused, and okay, she knew she was acting a little too cheesy, but Freddie brought this out of her. ’’I saw what you can do during our lessons, so…”

Freddie giggled softly. ’’Thank you. I just hope I can do Juliet well. It’s a big thing for me.”

’’How so?” Joan asked, and Freddie ducked her head sheepishly.

’’You know, they have always casted white girls before. This is the first time they didn’t.”

’’This is great!” Joan said, and she meant it. It really was a big step, and Freddie deserved all the spotlight, all the roles she wanted. ’’That shows how amazing you are. You rewrite the rules.”

Freddie smiled brightly, then an idea suddenly formed in her head.

’’Would you…would you like to come and see it? I mean, I know it’s not really your scene, but…”

The idea of sitting through hours of ballet physically pained Joan, but the idea of seeing Freddie moving like she was made of liquid, shining brightly like the star that she was and taking everyone’s breaths away immediately soothed it. 

’’Of course.” She said, and okay, she was really, truly whipped. But who cares? Freddie was smiling again, she looked so happy at the idea of Joan watching her show, and that was the only thing she could care about.

The dinner went pretty well; it seemed like a lot of walls came down that evening, because Joan has found herself joking with Regina, a thing she never expected before, and Brianna had a pretty nice conversation with Freddie about animals. They really seemed to click as a group.

And they just generally clicked. Regina and Brianna shared even more looks and smiles all throughout (and didn’t that make Freddie and Joan grin like crazy), and Freddie and Joan kept flirting. It went much better than any of them expected.

Brianna almost felt sad when they had to part at the end. Well, she felt especially sad about getting into her own car while Regina got in her own.

’’That was a fun night.” Regina said, grinning after Joan and Freddie who were already driving away. ’’I bet they are going to confess their feelings now.”

’’Yeah.” Brianna breathed. Her heart fluttered inside her chest as she looked at Regina, beautiful in the light of the street lamps reflecting off her blonde hair. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering softly.

’’Are you cold?” Brianna asked, and Regina shook her head, but Brianna could hear her teeth chattering, so she wasn’t very convinced about that.

’’No, it’s fine.” Regina said, but Brianna tutted, shrugging off her jacket.

’’Here, take it.”

Regina blushed heavily, and she shook her head again, feeling many inches smaller than she actually was. ’’No, I’m not stealing your jacket. You’ll be cold.”

’’You’re not stealing it, I’m giving it willingly.” Brianna laughed softly. ’’And I’ll be fine. You, uh, you’re wearing less.”

She hoped she could stop her eyes from roaming over Regina’s sundress, but she couldn’t. She looked so beautiful, living up to the nickname ’’Princess”, that Brianna gave her. She really looked like a gorgeous princess, and Brianna instinctively wanted to coddle and spoil her. Fuck, how did she go from hating Regina’s guts to wanting to spoil her rotten?

Brianna didn’t wait for Regina’s response before draping her jacket over her shoulders. This movement almost felt like a hug, and for a second, Brianna got dizzy.

’’I’m going by car too. I won’t be cold.” Regina protested weakly, but she burrowed deeper into Brianna’s jacket. She looked so tiny in it, it made Brianna’s heart melt.

’’It’s okay.” That was all Brianna could say, because Regina’s smile made every coherent thought leave her brain.

’’Thank you.” Regina said softly. ’’Bye, Brianna.”

’’Bye.”

Brianna’s heart ached as she watched Regina got into her car, but still, there was a stupid grin on her face.

Maybe walking Freddie to her door was a tad bit too much, but hey, Joan was a proper gentlewoman. And she didn’t want to let go of Freddie just yet.

’’Thanks for dropping me home.” Freddie said, and Joan nodded with a smile.

’’Of course. I had so much fun.”

’’So did I.” Freddie replied softly. Joan was smiling at her, her ponytail a little messy from the evening breeze, and Freddie was pretty sure she would die if she could never see that smile again.

She didn’t want to go inside, of course she didn’t: she wanted to stay with Joan, she wanted to chat with her all through the night, she wanted to see that adorable, gap-toothed smile some more, she wanted to get lost in those sparkling green eyes. But they had to part, and it was killing her inside.

’’Good night.” Freddie said with a soft smile. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she leaned in, pressing the tiniest little kiss onto Joan’s cheek.

They pulled apart, and Joan was looking at her like this was the first time she saw her. Freddie felt her heart drop. Maybe Regina’s source wasn’t as reliable as she claimed? Maybe she has misread the signs? She shouldn’t have done that.

The tension in the air was palpable: it felt like all the sounds have been sucked out of the world as they stared at each other, the only sound they could hear was their hearts pounding.

Then after what seemed like ages of uncomfortable silence, Joan leaned in, pressing her lips against Freddie’s, a little uncertain, but so sweet, so genuine and loving. Freddie wrapped her arms around her neck to pull her close, her eyes fluttering shut in bliss as she eagerly kissed back. Joan had one hand on the door behind her to keep her balance and spare her back, the crutches hastily thrown on the floor, her other hand going around Freddie’s waist.

Freddie was pretty sure she was just dreaming, because they were kissing, lips and tongues exploring, Joan’s warm hand squeezing her waist, and she smelled like cologne, and oh my god, Joan Deacon was kissing her, and surely this couldn’t be real.

And if this was a dream, Freddie never wanted to wake up from it, ever.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something horrible happens, and Regina needs comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major WARNINGS on this chapter fo abuse and domestic violence. It's not explicit, but it's worse than last time, so please, watch out.

Regina wondered why it was that when things were going so well, something awful had to happen to ruin it all.

She felt giddy as she drove home, Brianna’s jacket draped around her shoulders. It smelled like Brianna, that clear scent that couldn’t be compared to anything else; it was just so Brianna. Regina would recognize that scent among a thousand other people.

God, she was in big trouble.

She really, truly had a crush on that pretentious nerd. There was no way she could deny it anymore, not with these stupid heart palpitations and her flushed cheeks anytime Brianna was near. Regina didn’t even realize she would be able to fall for another girl. Sure, she did have…thoughts about it before, but it was all natural –like, Freddie’s breasts were really huge and she always wore deeply cut shirts, so Regina didn’t really blame herself for staring at her friend’s chest more than she probably should. Everyone was staring at them, regardless their gender or sexual orientation, right? 

But she did notice that Crystal was pretty hot. She did feel a little light-headed when Jenny jokingly slapped her ass. Etta was flirting with everyone all the time, and Regina found herself enjoying it more than she should. And she blushed like hell when she made out with Phoebe for a drunken dare. There was the rest of the cheerleaders, in their skimpy skirts and okay, maybe Regina’s eyes lingered sometimes. So maybe she had these thoughts before, but…she only fell for boys before. She should be able to fall in love with girls if she really was into them, right? Maybe she was just curious.

_ You’re in love now, so take that._

She nearly crashed her car at this thought. Fuck, was she in love? Was she in love with Brianna of all people? The symptoms were too evident, she really couldn’t deny them anymore. Holy shit.

That didn’t mean she was suddenly all peaceful with it. This was never supposed to happen. She was never supposed to fall in love with another girl, let alone with Brianna. Not to mention, whatever Freddie claimed, it couldn’t be mutual. Brianna was just friendly and trying to make up for treating Regina the way she did during their first few lessons. She called Brianna and Joan losers, but here she was, the biggest loser of them all, pining for someone that would never return her feelings. She used to be quite awful to her too. Why would Brianna date someone like her? She made it very clear what she thought of her and her clique: empty-headed bimbos, in a tightly knit community, shutting everyone else out. Maybe she’s being more friendly now, but what if she’s just being polite? What if deep down she still thinks of Regina as the ’’mean girl”? 

Regina stopped the engine with a deep sigh, pressing her forehead against the steering wheel. Why couldn’t things just be simple? Why couldn’t she just fall for another boy? Then it wouldn’t be so confusing, it would be like how it always had been, no second guessing things. Or at least for someone else, someone who wasn’t Brianna, who didn’t mess with her head so much, going from her archnemesis to somewhat of a friend and then her pretty knight in shining armour, hugging her before a test and telling her that she was clever, that she got this, and giving her her jacket when she saw that Regina was cold…

She let out a whine. Fuck everything, seriously. These past weeks- god, almost a whole month now- were nothing but an absolute whirlwind of emotions for her. Just what she needed on top of everything else that was going on at her home.

Speaking about home, she didn’t see her father’s car anywhere. This could be quite the relief, but Regina couldn’t help but be suspicious. He should be home by now. Her jumbled up thoughts about Brianna and her sexuality were soon forgotten as she got out of her car, an uncomfortable feeling seizing her stomach as she walked up to their house. She could see it through the window that the light was on in the living room.

’’I’m home.” She announced when she walked inside, closing the door behind her. No answer. Regina felt her heart drop as she tiptoed to the living room; the door was open a crack, and she opened it fully with shaking fingers.

It felt like all the air has been sucked out of her lungs when she spotted her mother on the couch, shoulders hunched. Clark was fast asleep in her lap, looking younger than he ever did, resembling a baby more than a fourteen years old boy. Regina knew exactly what was the only thing that made him regress like that, and she felt bile rise in her throat.

Her mother’s eye was bruised, a disgusting purple color, swollen and miserable. There was some blood on her lips too. She looked up at Regina, and gave her a pained little smile.

’’Mum…” Tears were streaming down Regina’s face as she dropped to her knees in front of her, cupping her mother’s cheek. She wanted to ask what happened, but she didn’t need to. She knew exactly what happened, and it made her feel sick.

Her father has never hit them before. He shoved her last time, but that was the most physical thing he has ever done. He never hit them. But there was no other explanation; Regina just knew he was the one who hurt her mother.

’’I told him I want a divorce.” Winifred whispered, either not wanting to wake Clark or not being able to speak any louder. ’’He got a little mad…”

Clark stirred, but he didn’t wake up. Regina’s eyes fell on his face, and she had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming when she saw a smaller, but nonetheless dark bruise on her brother’s cheek.

Winifred noticed where she was looking at, and she reached up a trembling hand to stroke Regina’s hair.

’’He didn’t mean to hit Clark.” She explained, voice wobbly and so, so sad, it broke Regina’s heart. ’’He saw that he was hitting me, and he wedged himself between us…he tried to protect me and he accidentally took the next blow.”

Tears were spilling from her mother’s eyes, and Regina was shaking, shaking so hard she nearly heard her bones rattling. She hated him, she hated him so much. He was a monster, he wasn’t her father. All he did was hurt people, his family, the ones he was supposed to protect.

’’I’m going to kill him.” Regina growled, hands balling up into fists. She wanted to punch something desperately, and the only thing that stopped her was the realization that her mother would be scared of her too. There was no need for more violence in this house.

Winifred didn’t say anything, just pulled her close, careful not to wake Clark. Regina was trembling in her mother’s arms, the instincts of wanting to protect and be protected fighting inside her.

’’He’s not going to come back tonight.” Winifred said softly, carding her fingers through Regina’s hair. ’’He said he needs some time alone. He packed a few of his clothes, I think he’s…”

’’…at one of his whore’s.” Regina snarled, and Winifred took a deep breath, shaking her head.

’’It doesn’t matter. You know, I’m glad he’s not here.”

’’You have to go to the hospital.” Regina said, carefully touching her mother’s cheek. Winifred shook her head, giving her a weak little smile.

’’I’ve already been. Said Clark and I fell down the stairs.”

’’Why didn’t you tell them the truth?” Regina asked, and Winifred had to shush her because her voice got louder. ’’Mum, you should have told them.”

’’It would have been so much hassle.” Winifred said, ducking her head. She looked much younger than her age, small and frightened. ’’The police would have been involved, and I don’t even know where he went, and…I just wanted some peace and quiet, love.”

Regina shook her head in disbelief. How could her mother just sit back and take it? Let herself and her family be abused, and not do anyting about it?

Then the realization hit her. Her mother was afraid. She was scared of what Michael would do to them if she tried and report him. This was a damn soap opera, something that belonged on the screen: it couldn’t be happening, not to them. It couldn’t be real.

’’Why didn’t you call me?” Regina whispered brokenly. She would have left immediately, of course she would have. She would have come back here and protect them. Her Mum and her little brother got hurt, she should have been the one to shield them, she was even a little taller than her Mum now…

’’I wanted you to have some fun.” Winifred said softly. ’’You needed it. You can’t take the brunt of his anger all the time.”

Regina sighed deeply, tucking her face away in her mother’s neck. This was whole thing was a fucking nightmare: all the yelling, the smashing of plates, the name-calling, the emotional manipulation were unfortunately all familiar to Regina, but this explicit, outright violence and aggression wasn’t. Will Michael’s anger evolve some more? What else would he be willing to do to his supposed family, if he had no qualms about hitting his wife?

’’Are you sure he’s not coming back tonight?” Regina asked, suddenly scared herself. The idea of an angry, and probably drunk Michael coming back home terrified her.

’’Yes.” Winifred promised. ’’It’s gonna be okay, Regina.”

For what it’s worth, Regina didn’t quite believe this.

Clark slept in his mother’s bed this time, curled around her protectively. They were both asleep as Regina kept pacing around the room, watching over them as if to guard them. Realistically, there was just a really small chance of her father coming back after an outburst like that, especially if he took his clothes with him, but still, Regina felt scared and lonely. She couldn’t sleep, she needed someone there with her.

Her first thought was Freddie, but considering the heart eyes her and Joan made at each other…let’s just say, Regina didn’t want to bother them. Crystal was sick, she didn’t want to shake her out of her rest. Etta has probably already left to visit her grandparents for the weekend. Phoebe and Jenny were probably together, they usually were on Friday nights.

She was alone. There was no one who could give her comfort.

Unless…

Regina was reaching for her phone before she could stop herself, punching in the numbers and hoping she would be able to stop herself from sobbing into the phone.

She broke down the minute she opened the front door, all but but flying into Brianna’s arms, her pride be damned as she sobbed into her chest, clutching at her shirt, that stupid NASA shirt so hard the material almost tore. Brianna didn’t ask, didn’t say anything, just held her close, her arms wrapped tight and safe around her, rubbing comforting circles onto her back, and right now, that was exactly what Regina needed.

Brianna still didn’t ask questions as she lay in bed with her, arms still wrapped around Regina, letting her hide her face in her neck, trying to get her breathing under control.

’’Thank you for coming.” Regina whispered, pulling back a little to look up at Brianna. The brunette’s eyes were so gentle, so kind, Regina felt like crying again.

’’Of course. You sounded distraught.” Brianna said softly. Her eyes were curious, wanting desperately to know what happened, but she didn’t ask, not just yet, and Regina was eternally grateful. She wasn’t sure she would have been able to talk about it now.

’’I’m sorry I dragged you out of bed.” Regina said, tapping her fingers against Brianna’s collarbone through her shirt, smiling a little.

’’These are your pyjamas.”

Brianna chuckled softly. ’’You’re attentive. But it’s okay. I wanted to make sure you’d be alright.”

Regina sighed. Of course Brianna didn’t return her feelings: she didn’t deserve someone like that, someone so caring and protective, jumping out of bed and running over to someone whom she hated only a few weeks prior, just to comfort her.

Tears of frustration, of loneliness and anger and fear started spilling out again; she was truly alone, in a horrible household with a horrible father who hurt them, and there was no one that could help, no one that could keep her safe.

Brianna brought up a hand and wiped her tears away, her fingers so warm, so gentle on her cold cheeks.

’’I don’t know what happened.” Brianna said gently. ’’But I’m here, I’m with you, okay?”

’’I’m scared…” Regina whimpered, and she knew she was being pathetic, but she couldn’t care right now. Brianna hummed softly, continuing to stroke her cheeks gently.

’’I’m here.” She repeated, looking intently into Regina’s eyes. ’’I’m here for you. I’m going to keep you safe, Regina.”

Hazel eyes gazed deeply into blue ones swimming in tears, the tiniest, most gentle smile playing on her lips as she caressed Regina’s cheek, brushing a stray piece of hair away. Brianna would keep her safe. She was here, she came because she heard that Regina was in trouble, and she was here in a flash, just to protect her. Regina’s heart swelled inside her chest, filled to the brim with a thousand of emotions.

It was like she wasn’t really inside her own body and watched herself from the outside as she leaned in and pressed her lips against Brianna’s, small and uncertain, before pulling back, her cheeks flushed red.

Then Brianna was cradling the back of her neck as she pulled her back in, kissing her longer, deeper, arms secure and protective around Regina, and the blonde relaxed somewhat, pushing all her second thoughts and insecurities to the back of her mind, and let herself be lost in the kiss.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brianna and Regina have some things to talk about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry in advance, updates will be slower now with all my multichapter stories, due to the fact i'm now officially back at uni and I already have quite a lot of schoolwork to deal with, but I'll try to stay as regular as possible!

Brianna kept expecting to wake up. Like, actually wake up, in every sense of the word. Because the last time she held Regina Taylor in her arms, it was only a dream, a very pleasant one at that. 

But this, right here, was real. She could smell the peachy scent of Regina’s hair, and she was intoxicated on it. She breathed it in, deep, letting it flow through her system before she buried her nose deeper into Regina’s soft hair, nuzzling it.

’’What are you doing, you pervert?”

Brianna didn’t even realize Regina was awake. Last time she checked she was snoring softly, sounding like the most adorable little puppy in her sleep, bringing a huge smile onto Brianna’s face. She couldn’t stop smiling now either, just tightened her arms around Regina, pulling her as close as possible.

’’Your hair always smells like peaches.” Brianna said giddily, inhaling her scent again. Okay, she really did look like a creep, nosing at Regina’s hair like that, but that scent was so damn sweet, Brianna simply couldn’t get enough of it.

’’It’s my shampoo.” Regina said, turning around in her arms to face her. Her eyes were still a little red and puffy from crying, and there were dark circles under her eyes, but to Brianna, she was still the most beautiful thing ever.

She leaned in to plant a kiss on her lips, but Regina pulled away, causing Brianna’s heart to drop. Oh. So it was just a one time thing. It makes sense, Regina was lonely and vulnerable, and she was the only available person around. Their kisses weren’t even real then, just the product of Regina holding onto her as much as she was able to. God, how could she be so stupid to think that Regina actually wanted her!? Regina, the beautiful queen bee of Leroy Brown’s High, falling in love with an annoying nerd with frizzy hair? Not bloody likely, now is it?

Just when Brianna was about to roll onto her back to mourn her loss, Regina offered an explanation.

’’Morning breath.” She said, scrunching up her nose in disgust. ’’I didn’t even brush my teeth last night…”

Brianna breathed a huge sigh of relief. Regina discarding of her after spending a night making out, was something she wasn’t sure she would be able to handle. But some morning breath, she definitely could.

’’I don’t care.” Brianna said, cupping Regina’s pink cheek and turning her face back. ’’Can I kiss you again?”

Regina blushed heavily, but she nodded, and Brianna kissed her again, eagerly. She carded her fingers through Regina’s soft hair, smiling against her lips when Regina nearly purred into the kiss.

’’Your morning breath is truly hideous, but I think I can handle it.” Brianna teased, and Regina swatted at her playfully, though there was no real malice in it.

’’Shut up.”

With that, she leaned in to kiss Brianna again, hands tangled in Brianna’s hair, sighing softly and relaxing into her arms. Brianna resisted the urge to roll on top of her with sheer willpower, but she let her hands rest on Regina’s hips.

They rested their foreheads against one another after they pulled back, (terrible morning)breaths mingling, legs tangled together under the sheets. It felt so domestic, like they have been doing this for years now.

Brianna watched Regina’s face closely, could see how she was biting her lip, a little crease between her eyebrows as she was clearly thinking. Brianna brought up a hand and caressed her cheek, making Regina look into her eyes again- god, those mesmerizing blues were even more gorgeous from up close.

’’What is this?” Brianna asked, trying to mask the shakiness of her voice. So far, things were going quite great; they kissed like ten times since last night, and Regina was still neatly tucked under her arms, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything serious. Who knows, maybe Regina will clam up, realizing she made a huge mistake by kissing Brianna, and she would start hating her again. Brianna needed to know where they stood now.

’’What is what?” Regina asked, though the look in her eyes told Brianna she knew exactly what she was talking about. Brianna sighed, fiddling with a strand of Regina’s hair.

’’This.” She gestured over their bodies, still pressed up close to one another, basking in each other’s warmth. ’’And this.” She traced her thumb over Regina’s plump bottom lip.

Regina swallowed thickly, absentmindedly tapping her fingers against Brianna’s strong jaw. She seemed lost, uncertain. The amount of vulnerability popular cheerleader Regina was showing around Brianna was flattering in a way, but it was also a little scary, especially in times like these, when the only thing Brianna craved was some stability.

’’I don’t know.” The blonde said quietly, chewing on her bottom lip. She curled up smaller against Brianna’s side, like she needed protection even from her own thoughts.

’’You don’t know?” Brianna asked, trying to keep the impatience out of her voice. She still didn’t know what exactly happened last night that made Regina break down sobbing in her arms, and it was probably better if she didn’t push her luck around Regina right now.

Regina huffed softly, but she still didn’t pull away. ’’This is new for me.” She explained, cheeks turning a deep scarlet color.

’’This is the first time I…that I like a girl.”

She couldn’t bring herself to say love, not just yet. It would be too much, way too much. And she didn’t even know if Brianna really did feel the same way. Maybe she just found Regina attractive, in the physical sense, but that’s it. Regina surely wouldn’t survive the humiliation if she bared herself emotionally, while the only thing Brianna cared about was her looks.

Brianna’s lips curled into a smile that was almost smug, and she kissed Regina again, hands squeezing her hips playfully.

’’Are you telling me that you like me?”

Regina snorted softly but she nodded, and Brianna squealed- Regina didn’t even realize uptight Brianna could make this sound- and she peppered kisses all over Regina’s cheeks, making her blush from all the attention.

’’God,” Brianna breathed, her eyes sparkling beautifully, ’’I cannot believe this is real! I mean…I’ve been in lo…I’ve been liking you for a while now too.”

Oops, that l word almost slipped out. Thank god her brain was faster than her mouth this time.

Regina smiled, tucking her face away in Brianna’s neck.

’’It’s weird.” She said softly. ’’I used to hate you. And then…then I realized you’re not even that big of an asshole, and that you sort of had a reason to behave like you did. And then I…well, you know.”

Regina being at a loss of words was also not a common occurence, but Brianna happily took it, since she was the reason for her being speechless.

’’I felt the same way.” Brianna said. ’’I’ve wanted to kiss you so many times. Wanted to ask you out on an actual date, but I was convinced you would never feel the same way. Also, I didn’t even know if you’re into girls.”

Regina hummed, nuzzling Brianna’s skin on her neck. ’’That’s…that’s new too, as I said, this is the first time I feel like this. So…maybe I will be…well, maybe I will be scared. I mean, I’m scared right now too.”

Brianna nodded, kissing the tip of her nose gently.

’’I understand. We don’t have to rush anything. I mean, if you even…if you even want to…you know…”

She blushed deeply, suddenly very aware how dry her mouth and throat were. Regina’s eyes widened, and she spluttered before she managed to speak.

’’Having sex?”

Brianna nearly choked on her own spit. She coughed, shaking her head.

’’No, I meant…uhm…dating.”

Now it was Regina’s turn to turn totally red. She hid her face in Brianna’s neck with a groan.

’’Sorry…but the way you framed that question…”

’’I know, I know.” Brianna said quickly, trying to get rid of the mental image of having sex with Regina before she came into her underwear.

She took a deep breath, looking down at the ball of blonde hair that was Regina in her arms, still hiding in embarrassment after what she said.

’’So…do you want to?”

Regina finally looked up, cheeks red. ’’Date you?”

Brianna nodded, stomach churning with fits of anxiety. She suddenly really dreaded the answer.

Regina hummed thoughtfully. The idea seemed lovely, if she wanted to be honest- isn’t that what she wanted? Brianna’s safe arms around her, her soft lips kissing her everywhere? Isn’t that what she had been fantasizing about?

But at the same time, the idea of dating a girl…it was so strange, and she couldn’t quite wrap her head around it. How would that even work? Sure, Freddie had been dating girls around her, and so did Etta, and so did Phoebe and Jenny (to think Crystal was her only straight friend…maybe there was a reason she subconsciously seeked out gay girls), and it all seemed natural in theory. But in practice? What would people think of her? What would her family think?

She let out a slightly shaky breath, and Brianna’s arms immediately tightened around her.

’’I do.” She said eventually, and Brianna breathed a sigh of relief, kissing the top of her head.

’’But,” Regina continued, and she could feel Brianna tense up beside her, ’’maybe…maybe in secret, for a while?”

Brianna’s expression was unreadable when she looked up, and she felt herself shrink under her eyes.

’’Is it because you’re scared to come out just yet, or because you don’t want to date someone out of your league publicly?”

The hurt was obvious in her voice, and Regina cupped her cheeks, smoothing her thumb across her cheekbones.

’’It’s not about status.” She said honestly, looking deeply into Brianna’s eyes. ’’I don’t give a shit about that. No, it’s…it’s because I need some time to come to terms with it, okay?”

Brianna nodded, kissing the pad of Regina’s thumb. It made sense. That, she was okay with and willing to give her all the time she needed. And the fact that Regina finally seemed to realize that her and her friends didn’t have to be the alpha bitches all the time, and she would be okay dating even a ’’loser”, warmed Brianna’s heart.

’’Okay.” She said softly, and Regina relaxed again. ’’We’ll keep it a secret.”

’’Thank you.” Regina said. ’’Don’t even tell Joan, okay? I think her and Freddie are about getting married right now, and I’m sure she would tell her, and Freddie would tell the rest of the girls, and Etta would tell the whole school. They mean well, they just all have huge mouths.”

Brianna laughed softly. Well, Etta babbling was the reason Joan found out about Freddie’s crush on her, so perhaps it really was smarter if they left Regina’s chittery clique out of it. Though Brianna wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but at least she wanted to share her happiness with Joan, but if Regina was uncomfortable with it, then she could also keep her mouth shut.

Now that Regina seemed more relaxed and less anxious than yesterday, Brianna felt like it was time to talk about another serious thing.

’’Regina.” She started softly, ’’what happened last night?”

Regina immediately tensed up. It seemed like she almost forgot about it, and now reality hit her with full force.

She let out a shuddering breath, holding tighter onto Brianna, her anchor, her rock.

’’I never told anyone this.” Regina said, blinking rapidly to hold herself back from breaking down again. ’’Not even Freddie.”

Brianna’s heart dropped. The idea of being the first one to know this big secret of Regina’s (well, another one, considering Regina only revealed her attraction towards other girls to her) was, again, lovely in a way, because it meant that Regina really trusted her, but it also placed a huge weight on her shoulders.

She waited patiently, and then Regina continued.

’’My father, he…he is somewhat of an asshole. He always humiliates us, especially me and my Mum. He always said that the only way to get somwhere is to step over other people.”

Finally, Regina’s behavior in the past made a lot of sense, Brianna thought. How else would she be able to act any different, if that was the only example she saw through her whole life?

’’I used to idolise him.” Regina continued, biting her lip. ’’I thought he was right. But then…I got older, and I could see how horrible he really is. He’s always shouting at my Mum, he’s always drunk and he’s very scary when he’s drunk. When I ran out of your house, it wasn’t because I had to buy medicine from the pharmacy. It was because he told me to be home at seven, and I knew what’s gonna happen if I’ll be late.”

Brianna’s heart clenched painfully. She never would have imagined that Regina came from an abusive family. She seemed so spoiled, but then again, looks are not everything.

’’He hit my Mum yesterday.” Regina said quietly, and Brianna gasped, immediately pulling her closer to protect her from the invisible threat.

’’Oh my god, Regina…” She said, rubbing her back in comforting circles. ’’I’m so sorry.”

’’He’s out for the weekend, probably.” Regina said, snifling a little. Brianna’s arms were so warm and safe again, and she nestled into them as much as che could.

’’I was scared, and I needed some comfort. And you came.” Her voice was soft in the end, and she stroked Brianna’s cheek lovingly.

’’I cannot thank you enough.”

Brianna didn’t know what to say. How were you supposed to react when the girl you loved revealed her father was abusive? Her first thought was that she’s going to hunt him down and kill him for what he did to Regina and her Mum. But right now, she could only offer some comfort, holding Regina as close as possible.

They lay there for a while in each other’s arms, brains full of everything that happened in the past nine hours or so. Then, Regina spoke again.

’’When do you have to get back?”

Shit. Brianna didn’t even tell her parents she was going out last night after she went to bed, and now they had no idea where she was. This wasn’t good, at all.

’’I hate to leave you here.” Brianna explained as she jumped off the bed, startling Regina. She really felt awful leaving Regina behind right now, but she also didn’t feel like getting murdered by her own parents. She checked her phone: 24 missed calls and 11 messages. Shit. They have probably already sent a search party.

’’My parents don’t know I’m here, they probably think I ran away or something.”

Regina laughed at Brianna’s guilty eyes. ’’It’s okay. Go, they must be so worried. We can talk later.”

Brianna smiled, leaning down to kiss Regina one last time, deep and slow, savoring every second of it.

’’See you.” She said, dashing out of the room and down the stairs. Regina just smiled after her, shaking her head fondly. Brianna really did rush here like a knight about to save her princess, and it made Regina’s heart soar.

Brianna nearly knocked into Winifred in the hallway, but she didn’t have more time to dwell on it and just quickly babbled an apology before she was out the front door.

Winifred stared after her, baffled. She was pretty sure she hasn’t seen this girl before.

She shrugged, and went upstairs to check on her daughter.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joan and Freddie are very happy, but then Joan learns something that makes her very, very anxious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trouble in paradise already? :o

Freddie knew she was grinning like an idiot, so hard in fact her face was aching with it, but she couldn’t give a flying damn about it. She was happy, nearly bursting with it- why would she stand there with a gloomy face, then?

The happenings of the past two days kept replaying in her head. They kissed. Joan and her kissed against the door of the Bulsara house. For long, long minutes. And then Joan breathed ’’talk to you later, okay?” as she kissed her goodbye. They texted all throughout the night, with an unecessary amount of heart emojis (Freddie surely didn’t expect Joan would ever send her any kind of emoji; she seemed so stoic at first), and Freddie only fell asleep somewhere in the early morning. They texted throughout the entire day. Bomi got mad at her for texting at the dinner table, and threatened Freddie that he was going to take away her phone if she doesn’t put it away, right now. But who could blame her? She was floating on cloud nine. She was happy, and in love. And Joan felt the same way.

Joan asked her if she wanted to come over on Sunday to watch a movie, and Freddie eagerly agreed. She spent long time on her hair and outfit again, and Kareem grinned at her knowingly. Freddie trusted him the most, so she told him and him only, that her and Joan are kind of dating now. Kareem only said ’’I knew it!” before he promised he won’t tell their parents until Freddie feels ready. He could be a little shit sometimes, but he was a very loyal little brother, and was fiercely protective of his big sister.

And now, Freddie was standing before the Deacon household, and she was happier than ever before.

The minute the door opened, she was swept up into Joan’s arms, the brunette kissing her deeply until Freddie melted into it.

’’That was a lovely welcome.” Freddie giggled after they finally pulled away, her cheeks adorably flushed, matching Joan’s.

’’Hi.” Joan said softly before pulling her back into another kiss. It was obvious Joan just brushed her teeth before Freddie arrived, because she tasted fresh and minty, and Freddie simply couldn’t get enough.

Joan looked her over, and Freddie blushed. She never did before, she always enjoyed the attention, the feeling of being desired, but this was Joan, and this was so much different. So much more appreciating.

’’God, you look beautiful.” Joan breathed, unable to take her eyes off the wonderful off the shoulder yellow top Freddie was wearing: it stood out against her warm skin beautifully. Joan couldn’t get enough of the sight.

’’Thank you.” Freddie said softly, playing with her braid. ’’So do you.”

Joan chuckled, but blushed nonetheless. She was wearing a simple blue shirt with jeans, but to Freddie, she was still the most beautiful girl that ever walked this Earth.

’’Uhm…would you like to drink something, or eat something?” Joan was suddenly painfully aware that she never really invited anyone but Brianna over, and she didn’t truly know the etiquette of having guests. Not to mention, this was Freddie, and Joan wanted to impress her. Should she give her something to eat? Or would the snacks in her room be enough? Should they start with the movie right away, or should they talk first…? Seriously, how do you act when your somewhat of a girlfriend comes over to your house for the first time? She was very grateful her Mum and her brother was out for the day; their presence would have made everyhing even more awkward.

Thankfully, Freddie had it more under control, and she shook her head with a little smile.

’’No, thank you. Would you show me around?”

Joan nodded. She awkwardly offered her arm for Freddie, but she just giggled, extending her own instead.

’’You have to watch your back.”

Okay, that was true. But Joan wanted to be the gentlewoman, surely she should be the one to offer her arm…? But then again, it was smarter if she spared her back, especially because she decided not to use her crutches from now on.

She blushed like mad as she linked her arm with Freddie’s, leaning some of her weight on her. Freddie was much stronger than she looked, and she supported her easily as Joan awkwardly showed her around.

She was extremely grateful that their house only had one level; she would die from the humiliation of climbing the stairs like this, in front of Freddie’s eyes.

Their little tour ended in Joan’s room, where Freddie took off to examine everything closely. It was a typical nerd room, Freddie thought giddily, with posters on the walls that she didn’t recognize, and a shit ton of books on her shelves. Her eyes fixated on an old radio on the bedside table, and she picked it up carefully.

’’It looks like it’s from the ’70s.” She said, turning it this way and that. She was aware of Joan’s watchful eyes, silently praying she won’t drop it.

’’The ’80s.” Joan said, walking up next to Freddie and looking down at the radio with so much love in her eyes, Freddie suddenly felt jealous.

’’I fixed it.”

Freddie turned around, her jaw hanging open. ’’You did?”

Joan scratched the back of her neck with an awkward little chuckle. ’’Well, yeah. I tinker here and there.”

Freddie hummed appreciatively. ’’Was it your grandparents’?’’

’’My father’s.”

Freddie should have been aware of the sudden sad tone in Joan’s voice, really, but sometimes she didn’t pick up on things like these over her own cheerfulness.

’’Does he like tinkering too? I could imagine him as a mechanic. You know, I never met your father. I think I saw your Mum when she drove you to school, but never your Dad.”

Joan bit her lip, staring at the ground. Freddie was about to repeat what she said, thinking that Joan didn’t hear it, but then Joan spoke:

’’Well, uh, you know, Freddie, he’s…he’s dead.”

Freddie wanted to punch herself in the face. Fuck. That was not what she expected, at all. She should have backed down when Joan sounded so sad. Why did she have to fuck this up? Joan must hate her now that she brought up this traumatic memory to her.

’’I’m so sorry.” Freddie said quietly, putting the radio back down. ’’I didn’t know…”

’’It’s okay.” Joan said, giving her a weak smile. ’’It’s been years.”

But you’re still not over it, Freddie wanted to say, but she swallowed it. There was really no reason to beat this subject anymore. She hated to see Joan sad, and the idea that she was the cause of her sadness this time broke her heart.

Joan must have seen the guilty look on her face because she cupped her cheeks, tilting her head up and kissed the tip of her nose.

’’Hey, don’t look at me like this. You did nothing wrong.”

Freddie didn’t seem convinced, so Joan kissed her again, long and deep, her arms snaking around her waist to pull her close, and she could finally feel Freddie relax into the kiss.

’’Let’s pop in that movie, yeah?” Joan asked, rubbing her nose against Freddie’s, making her giggle softly.

’’Okay.”

The tense atmosphere dissipated soon as they took their place on Joan’s bed, and started Booksmart. Joan’s heart was fluttering happily as Freddie immediately snuggled up to her side like a kitten, tucked under her arm neatly.

It was hard to focus on the movie when Freddie was so warm against her side, and when she smelled so good, and when she was so beautiful, and when she was…well, Freddie. Joan truly felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Sure, the fact that Freddie was very much popular, and she still fell for her, the nameless nobody whose only interesting trait in other people’s eyes was that she was on the varsity team, stroked her ego, but it was also the fact that this was Freddie, beautiful, kind, adorable Freddie nesting in her arms, wanting her and only her.

She couldn’t resist kissing the top of Freddie’s head, nuzzling the warm, good-smelling locks until Freddie looked up, with those beautiful, chocolate brown eyes of hers, and Joan was lost. She kissed her on the lips, fingers cradling her jaw, and the movie was soon forgotten as Freddie kissed back, humming against her lips.

Joan suddenly wanted more contact, and she pulled back, smiling at Freddie’s confused pout.

’’Uhm…” Joan started, blushing to the tip of her ears, ’’do you wanna sit on my lap?”

Freddie let out a breathy little ’oh’, her cheeks turning pink as she eyed Joan.

’’Won’t it hurt your back, darling?”

Joan pointed at the pillow that she precariously pushed behind her back, supporting her.

’’No, it’s alright.” She went even redder. ’’But if you don’t want to, then you don’t have to…”

’’I want to.” Freddie said softly, and with that, she straddled Joan’s lap. She barely weighed anything, and Joan wasn’t proud of the dainty sigh that left her lips as she looked up at her.

She wrapped her arms around Freddie’s waist and kissed her again, nearly turning into a puddle beneath her. This must be what Heaven looked like: Freddie on her lap, kissing her sweetly, her arms going around Joan’s neck. Joan never wanted this to end.

She took Freddie’s wrist and kissed it, just beside the beautiful golden bracelet she was wearing.

’’This is lovely.” Joan said, fiddling with the jewellery. It really was, simple but yet still eye-catching: the perfect jewellery for Freddie.

Again, Freddie should have kept her mouth shut, but in her defence, she treated this topic much lighter than other people, and she probably didn’t even realize the damage she was doing.

’’Thank you. It was a birthday gift from Jenny.”

Joan perked up, an uncomfortable feeling settling into the pit of her stomach at Freddie’s words.

’’Fanelli?”

Freddie nodded with a little shrug and a smile that was beautiful, but not when she was talking about Jenny Fanelli.

’’Yes. But she got it for me for my last birthday, so it’s a gift from a friend. Don’t worry, I don’t keep gifts from exes.”

Joan’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head. She was aware that maybe she was squeezing Freddie’s hips a little too hard, but she was frozen in shock. What…was…that…supposed…to…mean…?

’’Exes…?” Joan tried, her voice coming out much smaller than she intended. Freddie raised a confused eyebrow at her.

’’Yes? Jenny and I had been dating for a year, as you were aware.”

The room was spinning with Joan at this point. No, she wasn’t aware, because she didn’t really pay much attention to either Freddie or Jenny before. Sure, she had seen them together, but she paid no mind to them. But it made sense, they were joined at the hip…now, this wasn’t a comforting thought, for more than one reason. One, Freddie was still friends with Jenny. She was a part of The Clique, and they were still very close. Two, Jenny was hot. Very, very hot. Though Joan usually found femmes more attractive, she had to admit that Jenny had some charm with her short, dirty blonde hair, her tomboyish complexion and leather jackets. She was the kind of girl that looked like an androgenous boy at first glance, making every straight girl question their sexuality. She was also muscular, as she was always hogging the gym, and she wore leather jackets. Three, she bought Freddie this gorgeous bracelet, and Freddie liked it and happily showed it off. Jenny Fanelli seemed like a good egg otherwise, and she was kind to Joan when she joined them for lunch on that day, but these information all together made Joan hate her guts right away.

Freddie noticed the strange look on her face, and she gasped. ’’You…you didn’t know Jenny and I used to date?”

Joan shook her head, numbly. She really should have paid more attention to other people around her instead of just snickering at them- now she wouldn’t be so shocked.

Freddie hummed, finally looking a little embarrassed herself. It was clearly public knowledge, so she rightfully thought Joan was aware and okay with it, but she clearly underestimated Joan’s avoidance of other people other than Brianna and her varsity team- on the field. She never went partying with them or anything.

’’Oh…” was all Freddie could say on the matter right now.

’’And you are still very close.” Joan finally said, and her voice sounded much harsher than she intended. Freddie gave her a surprised look, before shrinking on her lap a little.

’’Yes, we’re still friends.” Freddie explained, and Joan tried to keep her rage at bay. She didn’t want to be an overjealous, controlling monster, but what chance did she have against a stud like Fanelli!?

’’Just friends?” Joan asked, and Freddie scoffed, getting a little fed up with this weird interrogation.

’’She’s dating Phoebe now, Joan.”

It was time for another shock, and Joan very unattractively choked on her spit.

’’What?”

Freddie’s expression softened, and she chuckled. ’’No offense, darling, but you truly live under a rock. Haven’t you seen them? They are always eating each other’s face.”

’’Ah…” Well, that was surprising. She couldn’t quite imagine it, but then again, she really walked around with a blindfold on, basically. She really needed to actually go outside and socialize.

’’So…you’re friends with your ex, who’s dating one of your best friends, and you’re okay with that.” Joan said, in utter disbelief. This read like a really bad sitcom, but Freddie found it amusing, because she giggled, kissing Joan on the cheek.

’’I know it’s a little unusual. But yeah, we’re all friends.”

Joan decided not to say anything more on the matter as Freddie kissed her again, sighing against her lips prettily.

Joan’s heart wasn’t completely in it this time, especially when the bracelet dangled against her cheek.

She will keep an eye open for Jenny Fanelli.

Just in case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone's jealous ;)


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The parents are onto something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so first of all, I have to admit that I'm an idiot. I tagged this as college AU, even though it's clearly High School lmao sorry if i made it confusing (i'm not American, nor British, and i got the words a little mixed up) but now i fixed it!
> 
> Also we're gonna meet Harold May, and we will have some dramatics ;)

Brianna wasn’t really surprised when she stumbled into a very angry Ruth in the hallway as she got home, but it didn’t make the experience any less frightening. Ruth was usually very soft-spoken, kind and warm, but if you pissed her off, then god save your miserable soul. She was straight up fuming right now, hands on her hips, looking like an angry bull about to pounce at the red fabric.

’’Mum…”

’’Where the hell have you been!?”

Ruth’s voice was a mixture of furious and scared, with a slightly wobbling edge, and Brianna recognized she was going to cry. She wrapped her Mum in her arms, holding her close.

’’I’m sorry.” Brianna said, propping her chin up on her Mum’s head. Ruth hated how much taller Brianna was, while Harold was quite proud his only child took after him in terms of height.

Ruth let out a shaky breath, swatting Brianna over the head softly.

’’I thought that you…Brianna, you are a young girl, do you have any idea what I went through!? I could see you dead in a ditch, or…”

’’No, no I’m okay, see?” Brianna cupped her Mum’s cheeks, giving her a tiny smile which she didn’t return.

’’We were about to call the police.” Harold, who just appeared in the door of the living room said, shaking his head in disappointment.

’’Brianna, what in the hell had gotten into you?”

Brianna felt totally embarrassed. Running away in the middle of the night was the stupidest idea ever. She should have at least told her parents that she had to leave; but then again, she didn’t want to waste any time before getting to her princess. Well, now she was in for a great scolding, but she couldn’t quite argue that she deserved it.

’’I’m sorry.” Brianna said again, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly. ’’There was an emergency.”

Ruth drew in a sharp breath, about to yell at Brianna again, but Harold gently stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

’’What kind of emergency?” He asked, concern lingering in both his voice and eyes. Brianna knew he would be the more understanding between the two, so she turned to him, but she still had a hand on her mother’s shoulder comfortingly.

’’Regina needed my help.”

’’Who’s Regina?” Harold asked, a crease forming between his eyebrows as he looked at his daughter.

Ruth’s eyes lit up in recognition, and she let out a soft gasp. ’’The girl you were tutoring in Physics!”

Harold scoffed softly, rubbing his temples as if he had a headache coming on. ’’Don’t tell me you ran away in the middle of the night because she needed help studying…”

’’No, of course not.” Brianna snorted, a little offended. Her girlfriend wasn’t this selfish, thank you very much. ’’It was…”

She desperately wanted to tell. Regina had an abusive father, and it was just getting worse and worse. She needed a way out of that terrible situation her family was in. Adults needed to know about this: maybe they would know how to handle this. Brianna wanted to scream ’’call the police, let’s get this monster arrested!”, but she didn’t. There was a reason Regina didn’t tell anyone this, not even Freddie or one of the other girls. Brianna was torn between wanting to get justice for Regina and her family, and staying in Regina’s good grace. They literally just got together, and there was no way Regina wouldn’t chew off her head if she babbled out her secret. God, this was so messed up.

’’What?” Ruth asked, narrowing her eyes. She was still obviously very angry- your daughter disappearing in the middle of the night and not telling anyone where she went, then returning in her pyjamas like a stray tended to make mothers quite frustrated- but her curiosity was tickled. Brianna wouldn’t just leave the warmth of her bed for anybody and for any reason. Something wild must have happened for her to do that.

Brianna sighed, chewing on her lip. It was on the tip of her tongue. She could save Regina, but then she would lose her too. But what if she would just create an even bigger mess? That man seemed violent from what Regina told her; what if he absolutely goes off the rails once someone turned him in to the police? What if he wanted revenge? Horrifying scenes of crime novels flashed through her head, and she decided it was better not to interfere, even if the idea of Regina suffering alone killed her inside.

’’It’s her business.” Brianna said eventually, hoping this might cut the conversation short. Harold and Ruth were staring at her like she went mad, and clearly expecting her to continue, but Brianna stood her ground, keeping her mouth shut stubbornly.

’’You’re not getting away with this scot free.” Harold said, and Brianna almost laughed. She would, she knew that. Her parents dotted on her, as she was their only child, and they never punished her, not even if she did something wrong. They were probably going to be angry with her for a while, but that’s it. An uncomfortable, cold feeling settled into the pit of her stomach when she imagined what would happen to Regina if she was the one to run away…

Brianna had never been so grateful for her parents before.

’’I know.” She said softly, giving the both of them an apologetic little glance. Ruth huffed something about the mess she left in her room, with the sheets rumpled on the floor as she hastily kicked them off last night to get to Regina as quickly as possible, and Brianna meekly promised she would go upstairs and take care of it right now.

She could hear Ruth and Harold chatting as she left the door ajar, and she blushed when she heard what they were talking about.

’’She came over once, you know, you weren’t home, I was the one who opened the door. So not the type of girl Brianna would usually hang out with, you know? Rich and spoiled, but very pretty. Blonde with blue eyes.”

’’Brianna’s type.” Harold joked, and Brianna groaned. Just what she needed, her parents talking about her love life. Why were they even conversing about this…?

’’Well, the only person she would run away for is Joan Deacon, but apparently someone else is on the list now.”

’’Do you think…?”

She didn’t hear what they were saying because Harold’s voice became a little muffled, probably realizing that Brianna might be listening on. Brianna threw herself down on the now made-up bed, letting out a low whine. She really didn’t feel like getting interrogated by her parents about her relationship with Regina, but knowing them, that was exactly what was about to happen.

Just a few minutes later, she heard socked feet padding up on the stairs, and Brianna prepared herself for the impending doom with a deep sigh.

Harold knocked on the open door- as he wouldn’t just barge in any other day- and Brianna just nodded, scooting to the side to give her father space on the bed.

Harold sat down, looking at her intently, and Brianna wished she wasn’t blushing, but she knew she did, feeling her cheeks getting heated.

’’So, Regina, huh?” was all Harold said, and Brianna swore internally. Honestly, getting told off again would have been so much better, and definitely less awkward.

’’What about her?” Brianna tried to act nonchalant, but Harold saw through her right away, like he always did, straight up smirking at his daughter.

’’Your Mum told me she came over here when you tutored her. You two sound really close.”

’’Dad…” Brianna warned, but Harold wasn’t about to be swayed. 

’’She sounds really pretty. Do you have a pic of her?”

Brianna gasped. ’’Dad!”

’’I don’t mean it like that.” Harold laughed, holding his hand up defensively. ’’I’m just curious about something.”

Brianna knew her father wouldn’t leave her alone until she saw the pic, so she reluctantly pulled up Regina’s Instagram profile, blushing to the tips of her ears as she watched as Harold scrolled through it (but not before accidentally liking five pictures in a row).

Harold couldn’t help but grin. The girl was truly beautiful, and he knew his daughter always fell for blondes: this Regina seemed like her exact type, even though she seemed a little too posh for a nerd like Brianna, and Harold knew she couldn’t stand those. But people change, don’t they? Especially if they are in love.

’’Seems like a nice girl.” Harold said, handing Brianna’s phone back. Brianna grumbled something under her breath, and Harold just laughed.

’’Are you guys dating?”

Brianna spluttered, nearly falling off the bed. Damn her easily blushing face. Just the mere mention of Regina made her look like a tomato, and her Dad was having a field day with his discovery. Regina asked them to keep it a secret, and it was already proving to be hard.

’’No.” Brianna croaked, hiding behind her curls in hope her red face won’t betray her any longer. ’’We’re just friends.”

’’But you find her pretty.” Harold said, trying to get a rise out of his daughter. Maybe he was a little cruel, but he enjoyed seeing his daughter so head over heels for someone- what other explanation could be for her excessive blush and her defensive behavior? Not to mention risking her good girl status and running away in the middle of the night to save a damsel in distress.

’’Dad, we’re just friends.” Brianna said again, making sure to put enough emphasis on each word. Again, she wanted to share her happiness, but Regina specifically asked her not to. Why did Regina have so many damn secrets!? Brianna’s head was already swimming with how much she had to hold back.

Harold just kept watching her with narrowed eyes, then he shrugged, patting her on the shoulder lovingly and getting up.

’’Alright then. But just so you know, I don’t want to see a DJ on your wedding, you two need a whole marching band.”

Brianna let out a horrified gasp, throwing a pillow after her father but it only hit the door with a low thud as she closed it behind him, still grinning.

Brianna whined, throwing her arms over her face dramatically.

Keeping this relationship a secret won’t be so easy with parents like hers.

Winifred couldn’t quite place the girl. She knew Freddie Bulsara- Mercury, as everyone called her for some reason- and was quite fond of her. She was Regina’s very best friend, sweet and surprisingly shy beneath the whole flirty ballerina facade, and she stuck to Regina’s side through hell and back. She knew Crystal Taylor, whom she deemed rude at first, but soon found out that she had a heart of gold and was fiercely protective of her daughter. Anyone who was willing to keep Regina safe had a good place in Winifred’s heart. She knew Etta John, who was always giggling and joking around, talking a mile a minute. She always made Winifred laugh. She knew Phoebe Freestone, who was definitely the Mum friend of the group, sweet and polite, and she had the rosiest cheeks Winifred ever seen. She always wanted to pinch them, though that probably would have been inappropriate. She knew Jenny Fanelli, whom she had mistaken for a boy at first and who seemed like a typical troublemaker, but she was a very loyal friend with an easy-going attitude, and she was such a gentlewoman around Phoebe, Winifred couldn’t help but coo at them. (In her humble opinion, Phoebe and Jenny were a cuter pair than Freddie and Jenny were, but she was happy the girls remained close friends even after they broke up.)

So Winifred knew The Clique quite well, they were her ’’adopted children” as she jokingly liked to call them.

But this girl wasn’t a part of them.

The fact that a random girl slept over at their house made her a little confused. It was clear she slept here, those were definitely her pyjamas Winifred saw on her. She was aware Regina had an extended social circle, but she preferred her loyal little bunch over anyone else. So then who was this mysterious curly-haired girl?

Regina seemed much better than the night before, though she still flinched at the sight of the bruise on Winifred’s face, and Winifred almost cried at the sight of her children hugging each other tight in solidarity. She hated the fact that this was what they had to bond over.

Michael didn’t show his face the whole day, and Winifred was relieved. The last thing she needed is him attacking Regina too; god knows he had it out for her daughter the most. Winifred didn’t like to think about what would have happened if it was Regina shielding her with her body and not Clark.

She occupied her thoughts with baking some cookies in the afternoon. Clark slept through most of the day, clearly still shaken, so Winifred checked on him a lot to see how he was doing. After she sorted him out, she went to Regina’s room to offer her some comfort food, but she stopped before her door when she heard the sound of Regina talking, presumably on the phone.

’’So your Dad called me pretty? Aww, that’s sweet. No, come on, I’m pretty sure he was just joking. Brianna, how could he know? He doesn’t even know me. But you didn’t tell him we’re dating, right?”

Winifred plastered herself to the wall, gaping. Brianna is a female name, was this some kind of prank? Or where they talking about someone else?

’’Thank you. And sorry for forcing you to stay quiet about it. Shut up, you’re such a sap. Stop making me blush. Okay, I’m gonna be a sap now too. Is it weird that I miss you already? I didn’t realize you were such a good kisser, and now I just want to kiss you more. And I miss your frizzy hair and that stupid NASA shirt. What did you do to me, Brianna May?”

Winifred hurried away before she could blow her cover with the gasp that was about to escape her lips. A random girl sleeping over and then running out of their house the next morning, looking like she just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. A girl with frizzy hair and a NASA shirt, who kissed her daughter. And Regina was missing her already. And they were…dating….?

That was way too much information in one go, so Winifred decided to just sit and eat as many cookies in one sitting as she could handle. That was all she could do right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh. You girls are terrible at keeping secrets.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddie and Joan are open about their relationship, Regina and Brianna are not- but it seems like friends catch on faster than they thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love all the drama around this "secret" relationship, I swear.

Everyone was sort of frozen on the spot and staring. They thought this only happened in movies, when the crowd parted in the hallway, students plastering themselves against the lockers and watched like curious hawks as the protagonists walked down the hall, marching along proudly.

Freddie held her head up high, and there was a hint of a smirk tugging at her lips. Joan’s head was ducked, and there was a crimson red blush suffusing her cheeks. She was way too aware of the eyes on them, and she could hear the muted whispers. 

She never- not even in her wildest dreams- would have thought that one day she would be walking down the hall, holding Freddie’s hand. And yet, here they were; Freddie’s small hand warm and solid in her own, the eyes on them burning holes into her body. The fact that she discarded of her crutches also didn’t help her anxiety: she was aware she was limping a little, and now she felt more disabled than with the crutches themselves.

Freddie squeezed her hand a little tighter, ignoring the murmurs as they continued their way to Freddie’s locker. Once they were there, Freddie gave her a soft smile.

’’How’s your back?” Freddie asked, tucking a stray piece of hair behind Joan’s ear. The movement made Joan blush even more. The other students were still staring; they were clearly the biggest deal right now. Freddie Bulsara-Mercury, the gorgeous ballerina, openly dating the grey mouse Joan Deacon? The least popular varsity player? (Honestly, if you were on the varsity team, and you were still unpopular, you just know you weren’t doing something right.)

’’It doesn’t hurt now.” Joan said softly. She watched as Freddie opened her locker, and her lips curled into a smile at the photos of adorable kittens, of The Clique, and the national female football team. Well, Freddie definitely had a type.

’’That’s great.” Freddie chirped, standing on the tips of her toes to give her a little kiss on the cheek.

’’Are you always so affectionate with your girlfriends?” Joan asked. She swallowed the ’’were you this affectionate with Jenny Fanelli?” part.

’’I’m a big cuddler.” Freddie said, blushing softly. She looked way too beautiful with that pink color suffusing her cheeks. Joan couldn’t get enough of it.

’’Does it bother you?” Freddie asked, her voice suddenly going shy. She was biting her lip as she looked up at Joan, looking like the saddest little puppy, and Joan hated herself for even bringing this up.

’’No, of course not.” She promised. She went an unattractive shade of red as she uncertainly laced their fingers together again, much to Freddie’s delight.

’’It’s just…a little new for me, you know. And we…well, I’m aware your exes were much cooler.” She couldn’t quite keep the bitter little tone out of her voice. She meant one ex, specifically, one that she was quite afraid of, if she wanted to be honest.

Freddie cooed, kissing the tip of her nose lovingly, making Joan go cross-eyed for a second. 

’’I don’t really care about that.” Freddie said softly. ’’I admit, I used to, once, but…I don’t really care now.”

’’You don’t care you might lose your cool girl status?” Joan checked nervously, and Freddie giggled.

’’I’m gonna let you in on a little secret: I tend to not give a shit.”

Joan laughed, and now she was the one who pulled Freddie into a kiss. A sudden wave of smugness washed through her. Wasn’t she the laughing stock of her own team, and a big loser in general? And yet, she was kissing the gorgeous Freddie, whom everyone was lusting after. Well, well, well. Joan hated herself for using Freddie to pump her ego, but come on. After years of being laughed at, it felt truly liberating to be looked at as somewhat of a cool girl herself.

She kissed Freddie a little harder, her arms going around her waist to pull her closer, and that’s when they heard a shriek.

They jumped apart, startled, coming face to face with the rest of The Clique.

’’Giiiiiirl!” Etta squealed again, practically bouncing up and down. ’’When did you get yourself this hottie, and why didn’t you tell us!?”

Joan couldn’t help but smirk at being called a ’hottie.’

’’It kind of happened during the course of the weekend.” Freddie said with a blush, her eyes meeting Regina’s who gave her a proud smile.

’’I’m glad the push I gave worked.” Regina giggled, patting Joan on the shoulder. ’’Oh, you two.”

’’Guess we gotta prepare the wedding soon, huh?” Crystal joked, making the fresh couple blush.

’’You better make the rest of them bridesmaides. And me, but I won’t wear a frilly dress.” Jenny laughed. Joan’s arms tightened around Freddie’s waist and she yanked her a little closer, making her let out a surprised little yip. Jenny raised her eyebrows at her in confusion, but Joan wasn’t gonna elaborate. She gave Jenny her best scowl. The fact that she was holding Phoebe’s hand right now wasn’t going to sway her. Better safe then sorry, right?

Phoebe noticed her snarling at her girl, and she pressed herself closer to Jenny. She was much taller, but she was still practically hiding behind her, as if to except Jenny to take care of her if a fight broke out. She narrowed her eyes at Joan before she gave Freddie a sweet smile.

’’Finally.” She said lovingly, and Freddie blushed deeper, hiding her cheek in Joan’s shoulder.

A student walked past them, murmuring something to Joan, and Crystal all but growled at her, making the poor lad run away like a frightened rabbit. Joan couldn’t help but grin. She was a part of them now. They were protecting her. She felt like she just married into the mafia. She wished Brianna and Regina would finally come to their senses, because then her best friend could get this protection too…

Speak of the devil. Brianna awkwardly stood from one foot to the other, trying to figure out whether to say hello or not. She desperately wanted to greet Regina with a kiss, but she couldn’t, not just yet. The rest of The Clique was there, swooning over Joan like she was a part of them all along. Brianna couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. Does this mean Joan will always hang out with them now? Will she be too cool for Brianna?

And will Regina keep ignoring her? If they didn’t have to make their relationship a secret, then she could be there like Joan, hugging her girl close. She sighed deeply, and she was just about to leave, when a soft voice spoke:

’’Hi.”

Regina was waving at her, her cheeks adorably pink, and Brianna couldn’t help but smile back. The rest of The Clique –except for Freddie and, well, now Joan too, apparently- was watching her with disdain. Right. She didn’t get her get free out of jail card like Joan did, what with Freddie’s obvious crush on her and now their public relationship. All in all, she was still considered a nerd who tutored Regina and was an asshole to her at first. She suddenly had vivid memories of Crystal throwing a ham in her face after she made Regina carry her backpack to the third floor in front of everyone, and she felt all her 180 centimeters shrinking. Surely Regina told them they made peace since then, right….? Surely she wasn’t hated that much now…?

’’Hi.” She said awkwardly, not sure what to do now. They weren’t snarling at her openly, so they probably knew her and Regina were on friendly terms at least , but she definitely wasn’t accepted just yet. Man, if they knew the truth…

Regina clearly didn’t know what to say either, torn between wanting her girlfriend close and keeping it a secret. She was about to open her mouth, when Freddie spoke:

’’Sorry, ladios, I gotta get to class. Meet you all at lunch?” She smiled up at Joan, showing her that she was invited again, making her girlfriend grin brightly.

’’Yeah.” Regina said, blushing deeply before she said: ’’Brianna, wanna join us too?”

Everyone fell dead silent and stared at Regina like she went mad. Regina swallowed thickly.

’’I mean…don’t wanna separate the duo, you feel me? Not even I’m that cruel.” She giggled unconvincingly, and Brianna went completely red in the face.

’’Also, uh…you know, Brianna and I are not in a war with each other now, so…consider this my thank you for the tutoring, okay?”

Her voice was so damn uncertain, everyone with a brain could immediately recognize something was fishy about this. Freddie and Joan shared a weird look, but didn’t say anything.

’’Okay.” Brianna said lamely, hunching on herself as Etta John gave her the up and down once over.

Regina gave her an apologetic smile as they walked past her. Freddie gave Joan a quick kiss on the lips before hurrying for her class.

’’Hm.” Joan said simply, stepping closer to Brianna. ’’Is there something you wanna tell me?”

Brianna scoffed, hoping her blush dissipated somewhat. ’’No? You heard her. We buried the hatchet, and she doesn’t want you to abandon me just because you’re one of the cool ones now.”

Her voice was bitter in the end, and Joan rolled her eyes before pulling her into a hug.

’’Don’t be stupid. You know I would never abandon you.”

She pulled back, giving Brianna a smirk.

’’So, that’s it? Regina only wants you at the table because you are ’friends’ now?”

’’Yes.” Brianna said, trying to muster up any kind of acting skills she had. ’’Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Joan just laughed, giving Brianna a knowing look.

Lunch was awkward, by all means.

Freddie and Joan were sitting next to each other, and Brianna was sitting on Joan’s other side, across Regina. She wanted to sit next to her so much, but she figured they were already drawing suspicion as they were. She hated to see the sad look in Regina’s eyes, but she knew that the blonde understood. It was her who came up with the idea of keeping it a secret, after all.

Etta was sitting on her other side, throwing weird glances towards her direction all through the lunch, and it was making Brianna uncomfortable. Crystal, who was sitting next to Regina was mostly occupied with eating- not throwing any more hams, thank god- but Brianna had a feeling she still kept an eye on her. Phoebe and Jenny, bless them, didn’t really pay her much attention besides politely offering salt or something. Brianna was eternally grateful.

Everyone could feel that the atmosphere was quite tense. They were sitting in uncomfortable silence, the only sound you could hear was their chewing.

Etta was the one who broke the silence.

’’You know, I have never seen you up close.” She said, still staring at Brianna. Brianna raised a confused eyebrow at her.

’’You were always just lurking around, you know. Scowling at us.”

’’Etta…” Regina warned her. The last thing they needed is a ’popular girls vs. unpopular girls’ fight right now when it finally seemed like they could leave this ridiculous notion behind them.

’’But now you’re sitting here with us.” Etta continued, paying no mind to Regina. ’’How does it feel?”

Brianna cleared her throat awkwardly, stealing a glance at Regina who looked just as embarrassed as she felt.

’’It’s…nice, I guess.”

Etta hummed, her lips curling into a little smirk. ’’You’re pretty. Are you single?

Regina’s fork scraped on her plate, making everyone hiss at the sharp sound. Brianna closed her eyes, praying for god or anything to take her right now.

’’What’s wrong, Reg?” Etta asked innocently. ’’Freddie snagged herself a smart hottie, what if I want one too?”

’’You’re ridiculous.” Regina croaked, her cheeks going so red Brianna was scared her head was about to explode.

Freddie and Joan kept sharing glances. They clearly felt that something was off between Regina and Brianna. Or more like…on?

Etta chuckled to herself, but didn’t push it any further. The rest of the table was now looking back and forth between Regina and Brianna, and Brianna wanted to scream.

They weren’t THIS transparent, were they? Okay, maybe the fact that Regina suddenly wanted her to tag along was a little strange, but they could be just friends, no need to read into this. And no one here even knew Regina was into girls, right?

But the looks on their faces remained way too weird for Brianna’s liking, and she went back to her salad, trying to avoid the penetrating gazes.

They should both join the drama club, maybe then they would learn how to keep a straight face, and not alert the entire United Kingdom to their relationship, Brianna thought bitterly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Could you two be any more ovious...?


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina has fears she never told anyone about, and they are holding her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so some trigger warnings for this chapter: this contains homophobic language and general homophobia, so read with caution!

Regina was acting extremely weird, and even that was a light expression for her behavior.

Seriously, did that girl think all her friends are blind, Etta scoffed internally during their awkward lunch in the cafeteria. She was a very much perceptive person, so the fact that Regina and Brianna kept making eyes at each other over the table, or how they kept blushing and squirming didn’t fail to catch Etta’s attention and send her mind whirring. Something was going on with those two.

Regina wasn’t the easily blushing type, and yet, her cheeks remained pink all throughout lunch, and the mere mention of Brianna’s name sent her eyelashes fluttering and her lips twitching, as if she was about to smile any second. Weird, and weird, and nothing but weird.

Etta- as the rest of them- was aware that Regina and Brianna buried the hatchet after their embarrassing fiasco around their whole tutoring deal, and that they didn’t quite hate each other anymore; but when did their relationship escalate so much? Because there was something more lying under the surface, Etta was so sure of that.

In fact, her always impeccable gaydar was tingling, big time. Everyone knew that Brianna was gay, but Regina wasn’t, apparently (though if Etta wanted to be honest, maybe there were signs that could confirm otherwise; or did she check out the other cheerleaders out of jealousy?). And yet, Regina looked like a dainty Victorian lady experiencing romantic attraction for the first time in her life, nearly fainting anytime Brianna looked at her. The last time Etta saw her this flustered over someone was when she dated Sean in junior year. No one made her act like this since then.

Brianna May did, apparently.

’’What do you think, what is the deal with Reg and Brianna?” Etta asked Crystal in the locker room as they were getting ready for cheerleading practice. Regina was occupied with her own locker, and she didn’t pay them attention.

Crystal shrugged, quickly checking if Regina was listening or not, then she turned back to Etta.

’’Honestly? I don’t know. They are acting weird as hell.”

’’Right?” Etta chuckled softly. She threw a glance towards Regina too, but she was still waist-deep in her own locker.

’’Do you think,” Etta made her voice as quiet as possible so Crystal had to lean in close to actually hear her,

’’do you think…there’s something between them?”

Crystal hummed softly, rubbing her chin. She didn’t seem at all surprised by the accusation, so Etta probably wasn’t alone with her suspicions.

’’I don’t know.” Crystal said, taking a gulp out of her water bottle before continuing.

’’They are all blushy. I don’t remember the last time I saw Regina blushing like that. But…she’s not gay.”

Etta sighed, gently patting Crystal’s head. ’’You’re straight, you don’t understand. Most of us go through a ’no, of course I’m not gay’ phase. Internalised homophobia, if you may.”

Crystal pushed her hand away, sticking her tongue out at her. ’’I do get it, thanks. So, you think that Regina is gay, after all?”

’’Or bi.” Etta said, shrugging. ’’Not as straight as she claims, clearly.”

’’What are you two whispering about?”

They whipped around at the same time to come face to face with Regina, who stood in her training gear, hands on her hips and a frown on her face.

’’Nothing.” Crystal said, giving Regina a fake smile, but apparently, Etta had different ideas about their approach.

’’We were talking about how strange you’r acting around Brianna.”

Regina’s cheeks turned beet red, and Crystal sighed, shaking her head. 

’’Why did we bother with whispering if you were about to blurt it out, anyways!?”

Etta didn’t reply; her gaze was fixated on Regina, not feeling like letting her off the hook again. She could see Regina practically shrinking under her eyes, her face nearly flaming.

’’So?” Etta perked up after some silence, still keeping her gaze stubbornly on Regina’s face. Regina flinched at her sudden voice, curling in on herself as much as she could while standing up.

’’So what?” Regina shot back, but her voice was uncharacteristically small and weak, and her face still looked like she transformed into a human tomato. If she wanted to stand her ground against Etta, she was doing a very bad job of it.

’’Are you two dating?” Etta blurted out, causing Regina to choke on her spit and splutter, drawing the attention of the other cheerleaders.

’’Keep your voice down…” Regina croaked after she managed to not choke completely. Her eyes were glowing dangerously, but Etta didn’t step down.

’’What is going on with you two, Reg?” Her voice was quieter than before, clearly not wanting to embarrass her friend, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want her answers.

’’We are your friends, you can tell us anything.” Crystal chimed in, surprisingly softly. She could be quite crude, usually, but only someone extremely stupid wouldn’t notice how uncomfortable Regina was.

Regina shook her head so vigorously she nearly gave herself a whiplash. She looked like a baby deer caught in the headlights, eyes big and panicked, looking from Etta to Crystal then back again. And she was hunching, making herself as small as possible as if to avoid her friends’ penetrating gazes.

’’What is this interrogation?” She squeaked, wrapping her arms around herself like she was shielding herself from the cold. ’’I told you, we don’t hate each other anymore. She’s not that big of an asshole like I thought, and I have to admit that I used to be one, to her, and to other people. We discussed this, we made our peace with each other.”

’’And that’s it?” Etta continued. She glanced to the side and could see the other cheerleaders staring, craning their necks and trying to subtly listen on to their conversation, clearly antsy about finding out the next biggest rumor.

Like hell you will, Etta thought. She truly hoped they didn’t manage to catch what they were talking about. ’’What are you standing there for?” Etta snapped, startling the little crowd.

’’Get out of here!”

Everyone knew that if Etta John, or anyone from The Clique told you to get out, it was better to do what they said. Sure enough, the girls nearly tripped over themselves and each other in their haste to leave the locker room as quickly as possible.

Now that they were finally alone, Etta gently grabbed Regina’s shoulders.

’’Sweetie.” She said softly, and Regina ducked her head, staring at the floor instead.

’’If there is something between you two, you can tell us.”

Regina shook her head again, but now her face wasn’t red anymore: it was awfully pale, looking like she was going to pass out any minute now.

Crystal placed a gentle hand on her other arm, giving her an encouraging little squeeze.

’’Are you scared that we would make fun of you for dating a…”

Regina looked up, her eyes glowing, and Crystal held up her hands in defense.

’’Woah, don’t give me that look! I just wanted to say, uhm…someone…less popular.”

’’Does this still matter?” Regina growled, shaking off her friends’ hands so she could cross her arms across her chest. She looked outright furious.

’’Brianna was right, we were the fucking mean girls around here. Did you see how those girls ran out when you yelled at them, Etta? They are scared of us! We think we are above everyone else, but we are all losers, for fuck’s sake! The whole thing is so stupid.”

She kicked an abandoned hairtie on the floor like it personally offended her. Another awkward silence stretched on, before Etta spoke again.

’’So, it’s not the mixing between groups, so to speak, that you’re afraid of, considering Joan and Freddie are dating too…”

’’It’s stupid.” Regina repeated stubbornly, like this was the only bit of sentence she could hold onto as her crutches.

’’…it is, I guess. But then…what are you scared of?”

’’Nothing.” Regina said, shrugging, but her face was the only answer they needed.

’’There’s nothing between us.” She said stubbornly, shouldering her friends out of the way, marching towards the exit.

’’We’re gonna be late from practice.”

Crystal and Etta shared a look, and they sighed deeply, both thinking the same:

Hopeless.

Regina was angry. Furious, even. This is exactly what she tried to avoid, to draw suspicion, and yet, everyone and their mothers already guessed there was something going on between her and Brianna.

She shook her pom-poms so hard her wrists ached with it. The fact that Etta and Crystal kept throwing worried glances towards her all throughout practice wasn’t helping the matter at all. How could she be so stupid, inviting Brianna over to have lunch with them? She shouldn’t even have said hello to her in the hallway. She should have just ignored her altogether.

But then again, isn’t this what she was also trying to avoid? Spending time with Brianna and getting to know her made her realize that she was, in fact, a little bit of a bully, and drawing distinctions between certain groups of students was stupid and outdated.

She sighed as she did a split, holding her pom-poms above her head with not so much enthusiasm. Really, what was she afraid of, then? Other people shit-talking her, and losing her popularity? Because she had to admit, it was a little bit good to hold that power over other people, and…

No. No, no, no. She was thinking like her father, and it made her stomach churn so violently she nearly threw up on the grass. She had to stop following his advice. He was the reason Regina thought there are certain people who deserved preferential treatment and stood above other groups- she had been believing an abuser all along. She had to get rid of those notions; she couldn’t end up like him.

And her friends…they were all gay, except for Crystal. They wouldn’t make a big deal out of it. So, really what was holding her back?

Suddenly the image of her father striking her after finding out his daughter were dating another girl flashed before her eyes, and she could feel her chest tightening uncomfortably.

_ ’’Those fucking fags and dykes,” he always said whenever he saw the news on the tv of the latest Pride parade. He hated Regina’s friends, purely for the reason they were gay. He would then look up at Regina with a cold look that chilled her down to the bone. _

_ ’’I hope they don’t drag you down into their filth. You spend way too much time with them. They are not corrupting you, are they?” _

_ ’’No, Dad.” Regina said quietly, staring at her feet. She wanted to scream at her father, that they were her friends and she loved them, and how dare he talk about them like that, but she knew better than to piss her father off._

_ ’’Good.” Michael said, cracking another beer open._

_ ’’Because then I would kill them.”_

She didn’t even realize she was struggling to breathe until her face collided with the grass; then she tried taking big, calming breaths, but she couldn’t. Her chest seized up, her lungs shut down, and she couldn’t breathe. Oh god, she was gonna die here.

Her ears were buzzing so hard she could barely hear the whistle and her coach’s voice. She was faintly aware someone was calling her name (’’Regina, can you hear me? Breathe for me, come on), but she didn’t know who was talking. Hands were touching her, trying to pull her onto her feet but it felt like her body was made out of lead. She couldn’t move.

That is what she was afraid of. What would her father do to her and her friends, what would he do to Brianna? If she told anyone, it would get back to her father, and he would…

’’I’m sorry, Dad…” 

That was the only thing she said before the world turned dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna deck Michael Taylor.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Regina's panic attack. She gets confronted again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Godddd, I really enjoyed writing this chapter, I hope you can all tell why :')

Regina woke up in- as she rightfully guessed- the school nurse’s office. She expected only the nurse to hover above her, but she was surprised to spot the small crowd surrounding her, looking down at her with worry in their eyes.

She blinked quickly, trying to make sense of her surroundings: the white light was suddenly too harsh for her eyes, and she closed them for a second again before opening them again. Her head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton, heavy and dizzy, and her body felt kind of numb. Regina tried to remember what the hell happened, exactly- she remembered feeling sick during cheerleading practice, but she just couldn’t remember why- and then it was white noise and darkness after that. So, she probably passed out.

She heard the nurse say something to someone in a very annoyed tone, and Regina groaned, shifting slightly on the stretcher-like bed they had in the nurse’s office. It was uncomfortable as hell, and her back was now screaming at her. Just how long had she been lying in there?

’’There are enough people in here already…this is not a circus, she needs to rest…oh, come on. Okay, fine, but not a word to the headmaster.”

Regina’s visions cleared a little, and now she could make out the people hovering around her bed: her cheerleading coach, Etta, Crystal, Phoebe, Jenny, Freddie and Joan (though she had no idea where they appeared from; the first three made sense, but just how quickly word traveled around in this school? Very quickly, apparently). And apparently, someone else just came in, demanding to see Regina.

Her heart did a backflip in her chest when she felt a large, familiar hand squeeze hers, stroking the back of her hand with a thumb.

’’Hey.” Brianna said softly, and Regina honestly wanted to cry at how gentle her voice was. It almost soothed her throbbing headache.

’’What happened?”

’’She had a panic attack of some sort.” The nurse replied instead of Regina, putting her hands on her hips as she looked over the small crowd. Her office was way too small for that many people, and it was absolutely crammed now.

’’A panic attack?” Brianna repeated, looking back at Regina in disbelief. Regina ducked her head, biting her lip. Memories started flooding back in: how Crystal and Etta confronted her before practice, how she clammed up and tried to pretend there was nothing going on between her and Brianna, how she kept overthinking it during practice, and how she had terrifying flashbacks of her father’s homophobic outbursts, and she how she imagined what Michael would do if the truth was out.

Definitely sounds like something that could trigger a mighty panic attack.

’’You couldn’t breathe and passed out.” Regina’s coach, Miss Shirley said, gently patting Regina’s thigh.

’’You scared the hell out of us.”

’’Uhm…sorry?” Regina tried to joke, hoping to soften the blow of what happened, but judging by the still awfully worried look on everyone’s faces, she didn’t quite manage. She risked a look at Freddie, and sure enough, she could see that all too knowing look in her eyes. She wasn’t going to get away pretending everything was fine this time.

She fiddled with the thin blanket that was precariously thrown over her despite the late September heat. Right now, she kind of felt like shivering, so she was actually grateful for it.

’’We called your Mum.” Miss Shirley said, making Regina look up. ’’She’ll be here soon.”

Oh, great. Now she truly can’t get away with this. Panic attacks weren’t exactly common for her- she could be anxious sometimes, and usually had really bad dreams where she woke up in a cold sweat, but this never happened before. Her Mum will definitely demand an explanation, and what kind of lie should she come up with? Maybe she could say she just had a flashback, all in all, and that she was dreading the day Michael would come home (though he was gone for a few days now, and Regina kind of hoped he was lying in a ditch somewhere), and that was what triggered this panicked response. Surely the last thing she should do now is tell the truth.

She looked up again, and her eyes met Brianna’s. Her girlfriend was watching her face intently, still stroking her hand. Etta’s eyes were fixated on the way their fingers were laced together, and Regina felt her cheeks heat. Right. They truly weren’t doing a great job.

She had half the mind to let go of Brianna’s hand, but eventually, she didn’t do that. If anything, she just held on tighter. At least she had an anchor, something to hold onto in this weird, floaty headspace that she was in right now. And this could still be considered friendly hand holding, right?

Freddie put a hand on the school nurse’s shoulder, giving her the kindest smile she could muster.

’’Could we please have a moment with Regina alone before her Mum arrives?”

’’A moment alone?” The nurse scoffed. ’’You can’t just send me out of my own office, Peanut.”

’’Please.” Freddie pleaded softly, putting on her best puppy eyes and pout. Phoebe and Etta- both masters of the same expression as well- joined her too, blinking at the nurse innocently.

’’We need to talk to our friend.” Phoebe said, folding her hands before her like she was just about to start praying. ’’It’s important.”

’’And she needs us too.” Etta added, giving the softest little smile.

Jenny, Joan and Crystal all shared a knowing look. There was no way in hell the nurse would be able to resist this cute onslaught. Sure enough, the nurse sighed, rolling her eyes, but nodded.

’’Alright, five minutes, tops. And don’t freak her out.”

’’She seems to be doing much better.” Miss Shirley added helpfully, giving Regina another smile before she joined the nurse. ’’Let’s leave them be.”

The moment the door closed behind them, all eyes turned back to Regina.

’’Okay, you know we need an explanation, right?” Jenny asked, her voice a mix of concerned and demanding. Regina sighed, rolling her eyes.

’’You heard the nurse. I had a panic attack.”

’’Those don’t happen without a reason.” Freddie said softly. She had experience in dealing with really bad bouts of anxiety, so honestly, Regina felt kind of stupid about ever thinking she could fool her.

Regina chewed on her lip, one hand still clutching Brianna’s, the other sratching at her neck in distress. Maybe she should pretend to have another attack, than maybe they would leave her be.

She felt Brianna gently squeeze her hand, and when she looked up, she met Brianna’s beautiful hazel eyes, staring at her intently. ’’What happened, Reg?” Brianna asked, in that mellow, soft voice, and Regina groaned. That was exactly what happened, that she was head over heels for this soft nerd, and she had to keep it a secret.

’’Something has been going on with you for a while.” Phoebe said, placing a comforting hand on Regina’s knee. ’’Remember when you stayed at home one day, claiming to be sick? What really happened, Reg? Because there is something going on that you don’t talk about.”

’’You shouldn’t bottle it up.” Etta said softly. ’’We are your best friends.” She glanced at Brianna, but she swallowed the ’’some of us probably more” part.

Regina groaned, slumping back against the awkwardly hard pillow. Of course she wouldn’t be able to get away with this for long. And of course, her relationship with Brianna couldn’t be kept as a secret either, not when she had so attentive friends and when they were both so terrible actors.

’’Is something…wrong at home?” Freddie asked, crouching down next to the bed. Regina drew in a sharp breath, closing her eyes. How the hell did her friends know her so well?

But then again, maybe putting two and two together wasn’t that difficult. They have all met Michael, and all of them were aware he heavily disapproved of their friendship. Michael was a slick bastard, he never started a fight when the girls were over, but still, one could easily be suspicious of an asshole like him.

Brianna stroked her hand gently, giving her an encouraging smile. Right. The only one who knew. And if one person knew…why shouldn’t she trust her friends as well? They wouldn’t tell Michael, obviously. But what if one of them told their parents? And they called the police? And they couldn’t find enough evidence against Michael? He hit her Mum, he hit her, just because she told him she wanted a divorce- what would he do to her, and his kids, if they tried to (unsuccessfully) put him behind bars…?

Regina could feel her chest getting a little tight now too, and she sat up, trying to take in big gulps of air. She could at least escape the interrogation by passing out, but panic attacks weren’t exactly fun, so she’d rather breathe, even if it meant her friends will have the chance to keep pressing it.

Brianna leaned in until her lips almost brushed her ears, and Regina could see her friends all share knowing glances. Joan was staring at Brianna, and she looked almost amused. There was no way in hell she didn’t realize her awkward friend’s awkward shenanigans. She was wearing leggins and a loose top, and Freddie was in her ballet practice gear, so they clearly abandoned their usual lesson so they could come and see Regina. Okay, that was heartwarming.

’’You need to tell them, Regina.” Brianna whispered, and Regina shook her head, clutching at Brianna’s hand tighter. Brianna tutted softly.

’’I know what you said. But…we have to do something about him.”

Brianna was right, Regina knew that. But what? And how?

’’Is it your father?” Etta asked, her voice full of empathy. Regina looked up, and she saw that familiar look in her eyes. Etta’s father wasn’t exactly a nice man, but luckily, her parents got a divorce in time before he could become violent. Still, she understood what it was like to have an asshole father. How could Regina seriously think she wouldn’t notice…?

Regina sighed, staring at the ceiling. She knew her silence meant confirmation, but she couldn’t bear herself to say it.

’’That fucking bastard.” Crystal growled, her hands balling up into fists as she was already ready to fight Michael Taylor. ’’I knew he was bad news from the start.”

’’You can’t tell anyone!” Regina suddenly yelped, sitting up so quickly she nearly headbutted Brianna. ’’Please, guys…”

’’We have to.” Freddie said firmly. ’’If he…if he is violent, then…”

’’He is not, just…”

One look of Brianna was enough for Regina to deflate, and she nodded.

’’Okay, a little bit. But…we cannot tell anyone, because he would…I don’t know what he would do to my Mum, and my brother, okay?” Regina’s voice wavered, and she could feel tears well in her eyes.

’’And to you.” Brianna said softly, sighing. She wrapped and arm around Regina to pull her close, and now Regina didn’t even contemplate pulling back.

’’He hit my Mum, and Clark.” Regina admitted through gritted teeth. She heard all of her friends gasp.

’’Okay, but that’s domestic abuse. You could do away with him.” Joan offered, then she blushed when all pair of eyes turned on her. ’’Err…sorry for babbling in.”

’’No, it’s okay.” Jenny said, patting her on the back. Joan flinched a little, but forced a smile on her face. ’’You belong with us now.”

’’Joan is right.” Freddie said, looking almost pleadingly at Regina. ’’Darling, he is a dangerous man.”

’’But he only hit us once.” Regina said. ’’Is that enough evidence for the police?”

’’They aknowledge emotional abuse as abuse now too.” Joan said, looking around to see if anyone was listening. They were. Encouraged, she continued.

’’And one instance would be enough all in all, but if he was controlling or something before, then…that’s enough.”

’’We have a lawyer in the band.” Crystal joked, and Joan blushed, shrugging.

’’Not really, I just…watch a lot of news.”

’’You have to turn him in to the police.” Brianna said, rubbing Regina’s back comfortingly.

’’We all want you to be safe.”

Realistically, Regina knew they were right. But she still couldn’t shake the feeling that if this goes awry, then they could easily be on the news as the family murdered by an abusive dick. She remembered her mother’s panic, how she lied in the hospital about her black eye because she was scared of getting the police involved. There was way too much at stake here. But if they don’t do anything, then who’s to say Michael won’t just snap one day and attack them anyways? He must be still very angry at her Mum. What if he hits her again after he came back?

’’Can we…” Regina cleared her throat. Her mouth felt awfully dry.

’’Can we just…not do anything right now? I need to talk to my Mum first.”

They all nodded, and Regina could tell by the looks in their eyes, that they wouldn’t betray her, especially not when she was so vulnerable.

’’We won’t tell.” Freddie promised, giving Regina a slightly wobbly smile. ’’We promise.”

’’Thank you for telling us.” Phoebe said gently.

’’It’s important to have a support network, you know?” Etta chimed in. ’’We have always supported each other, that’s not going to change.”

’’We love you so much, and we’re gonna help you.” Jenny promised, her eyes glowing fiercely.

’’And we’re gonna keep you safe.” Crystal added, grabbing Regina’s other hand that wasn’t held by Brianna.

’’We will.” Brianna added, not caring about their secret right now. Even Joan nodded with a small smile, and all that love and support was enough for Regina to start crying.

She was swept up in the biggest group hug of her life: she was smushed against Brianna’s chest, Freddie was holding onto her other side, Crystal was stroking her hair, Phoebe and Jenny sort of pressed themselves into her chest, Etta wrapped her arms around her waist, and Joan placed a slightly awkward, but gentle hand on her knee. They were all there for her, no matter what.

She wiped at her eyes and let out a wet little laugh, trying to wriggle out of their hold.

’’Okay, okay, I get it. Thank you, guys.”

They finally pulled back, but only enough to let her breathe. Etta looked Brianna up and down, then looked back at Regina, narrowing her eyes.

’’Since this is confession hours, would you please tell us the truth about what the hell is going on between you two?”

Brianna and Regina went red in unison, and Joan scoffed softly, leaning back against the wall to rest her back, and Freddie took her seat on her lap, eyeing Regina and Brianna suspiciously.

’’Yeah, Reg.” Jenny perked up, smirking. ’’What is this?”

Brianna cleared her throat awkardly, trying her best to avoid all the eyes on them. She risked a glance towards Regina who looked back at her helplessly.

It seemed like hours have passed before Regina took a deep breath. They just swore they would protect her. And she knew they really would. This might be scary, but her friends would never judge or abandon her. They were her second family, always there for her and making sure she was okay.

She took Brianna’s hand, surprising the brunette before closing her eyes, taking another deep breath.

’’Brianna and I…we’re…we’re…uhm…to-together.”

’’What a surprise. I haven’t seen that coming.” Phoebe teased, but she was utterly beaming as Regina cracked one eye open to check their reactions. Brianna was blushing next to her, but she was smiling, and Joan was grinning like a fool.

Freddie squealed, all but throwing herself at Regina to pull her into a crushing hug.

’’I knew it!” 

’’You two are awful secret keepers. How long has this been going on?” Crystal laughed, and Brianna turned an even darker shade of red.

’’Uhm…since Friday.”

Etta snorted softly, patting Brianna’s cheek. ’’Idiots, you two. Did you seriously think we wouldn’t notice right away?”

’’All that blushing and suddenly including this nerd in the group didn’t help, no offence, Brianna.” Jenny chuckled, and Brianna ducked her head, though she couldn’t help a smile.

’’None taken.”

Regina buried her face in her hands, a giggle escaping her lips. Seriously, she had no reason to to be scared. They were all absolutely happy for her.

But…

She looked up again, forcing a more serious look on her face.

’’But don’t tell anyone, okay?” She looked at Freddie, then at Etta. ’’Seriously, don’t even think about it too loud. I don’t want the whole school to know just yet, because…well, I still need to come to terms with the fact that I’m…bisexual, I think. And because I don’t want my father to find out. I was just thinking about what he would do, if…and that’s why I had that attack.”

’’That makes sense.” Freddie said, giving her a gentle smile. ’’We won’t tell until you guys are ready.”

Brianna grinned, nodding at her as a thank you. She still had Regina’s hand in hers, and she couldn’t resist kissing her knuckles, making The Clique go ’aww’ in unison.

’’My mouth is locked.” Etta said, making a zipping up movement before her lips, and Crystal chuckled.

’’You literally told Joan that Freddie had a crush on her.”

’’You did!?” Freddie shrieked, grabbing a pamphlet from the nearby table and throwing it at Etta. ’’Oh my god, you idiot!”

’’Hey, you got your girl, didn’t you?” Etta laughed, throwing the paper back. Freddie blushed, and Joan grinned, pulling her back into her lap.

’’I think we should be grateful for Etta.” She said, giving the other girl a smile. ’’Otherwise, I would still be trembling in the corner thinking you didn’t want me.”

’’We are all hopeless, aren’t we?” Brianna chuckled, and Regina giggled softly, leaning her head on her shoulder.

’’We kind of are, yeah.”

’’Sooo…” Brianna said, looking over all of them sheepishly,

’’does this mean I’m part of the group now, too?”

’’Hell yeah.” Freddie laughed, pulling her into a hug that made Brianna laugh in surprise.

’’Welcome to The Clique, Nerd.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would die for The Clique.
> 
> Also, these girls really thought they weren't transparent *smh*


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joan meets Freddie's family, and the dinner is hard on her stomach for more than one reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taking a break from the Maylor drama for this chapter, focusing on Deacury drama!

’’Isn’t bringing wine to the Dad and flowers to the Mum a little…outdated? Cliche?”

Lillian laughed softly, straightening her daughter’s collar. ’’It’s not. Us, mothers like flowers. And I still yet to meet a man who doesn’t appreciate a little bit of alcohol.”

Joan laughed, gently pushing her mother’s hand away when she felt like she was fiddling too much. Though Joan couldn’t blame her: Lillian screamed and practically jumped into her arms when she shyly mentioned that she had a girlfriend now. And now Lillian was on her mission to make her daughter look as delectable as possible, so she could impress Freddie’s parents, as well as trying to give her enough of a pep talk so Joan wouldn’t shit her pants in fear.

’’Am I not trying too hard?” Joan asked, checking herself out in the mirror. She was wearing a white shirt with black jeans, looking a little bit too formal for her taste, but her mother insisted she had to look as elegant as possible if she wanted to win the Bulsaras over.

’’No, not at all.” Lillian promised, reaching up to fix Joan’s hair. ’’How dare you grow taller than me?”

Joan laughed, gently bopping her mother on the nose. ’’It’s not my fault you’re tiny.”

Lillian stuck her tongue out at her, playfully swatting Joan over the head. ’’Having a girlfriend made you very sassy, Miss.”

Her eyes suddenly lit up, her lips twitching into an almost mischievous smile, causing Joan to raise a surprised eyebrow at her.

’’This reminds me,” Lillian started, ’’you haven’t showed me your lovely yet.”

Joan blushed softly. Even the mere mention of Freddie made her cheeks go all pink, and it was sort of embarrassing- though she knew that Freddie found it adorable. Though Freddie found anything that had something to do with Joan cute, so honestly, Joan was getting used to it.

She fished her phone out of her pocket and pulled up Freddie’s Facebook profile, turning crimson red as Lillian swapped through her pictures.

’’Oh, Dear.” Lillian chuckled, her eyes twinkling. ’’She is beautiful.”

’’I know.” Joan said softly, her chest filling with pride. She was aware her girlfriend was bloody gorgeous, and the fact that she was dating her was like winning the jackpot.

’’How did you snag yourself this model?” Lillian laughed, and Joan blushed, groaning.

’’Thanks for the implications that I could only date ugly girls.”

’’I didn’t mean it like that.” Lillian said softly, patting her cheeks. She found another picture of Freddie, and she hummed.

’’Other than her teeth, she really is very pretty.”

’’Her teeth are pretty too.” Joan said firmly, crossing her arms over her chest, and Lillian held her hands up in defense.

’’Woah, okay! You must really like this girl if you’re so defensive.”

Joan ducked her head sheepishly, unable to stop smiling. ’’I do.”

Lillian cooed, pinching her cheek like she was a baby, making Joan let out an embarrassed groan. ’’Aw, my baby is in love!”

’’Stop it, Mum.” Joan chuckled nervously, pushing her hand away. Lillian just giggled, scrolling through Freddie’s other pictures. Joan could see she opened her linked Instagram as well, clearly very interested in who stole her daughter’s heart.

’’She’s a ballerina!” Lillian gasped, her eyes shining with realization. ’’She was the girl who gave you lessons?”

’’Yeah.”

’’But…didn’t you say that she was stupid and annoying…?”

’’I changed my mind.” Joan replied, straightening her back. The fact that she could do that now without instant pain made her feel almost giddy. If everything goes well, she might get back on the team quicker than she thought. And this could be chalked up to Freddie’s intense ballet lessons. Joan smiled softly at the thought. They have come so far with Freddie, and Joan could thank her for so many things now.

’’I got to know her a little better, Mum.” Joan continued, unable to stop smiling. ’’She is an amazing person.”

Lillian smiled softly, pulling her into a tight hug. ’’I am so happy for you, Joan. Truly.”

She kissed Joan’s cheek before looking down at one of the pictures, frowning a little. Joan felt her heart seize at that look. What did she find? She scrolled through Freddie’s social media, surely there was nothing that she hadn’t seen yet…? What could it be? Hopefully not a pic of Freddie and Jenny snogging, Joan thought with disgust. That humiliation she wouldn’t survive.

’’Can I ask you something?” Lillian asked, still looking at Freddie’s pictures. Joan swallowed thickly and nodded, feeling her palms growing damp with nervous sweat.

’’Did she get a boob job?”

Joan snorted, letting out a relieved breath. Thank God. ’’Mum, you scared the shit out of me. No, they are…real.”

She blushed heavily and Lillian whistled, patting her on the back. ’’Damn, Joan.”

Joan saw some movement from the corner of her eye, and she turned her head to see her brother lurking in the doorway.

’’And the mention of boobs drew the little perv in.” Joan teased, and Julian stuck his tongue out at her.

’’Very funny. I was just curious about your girlfriend, that’s all. When can we meet her?”

’’Yeah, Joan.” Lillian grinned, turning back to her daughter. ’’When can we meet her?”

’’After I survived this dinner, you can.” Joan groaned, her nerves buzzing again. She had no idea what awaited her in the Bulsara household, and it made her stomach twist with anxiety.

She checked her phone and sighed, giving her brother and Mum a small smile.

’’I should leave soon. See you later.”

’’Yeah, yeah. Go, and be with your Pamela Anderson.” Julian joked, and Joan swatted at him.

’’If you call her that again, I’ll strangle you.”

She waved goodbye to her family, going on her merry way to doom.

Joan felt terribly awkward with the big bouqet of flowers and the bottle of wine in her hands- she still felt like it was super cringey, and way too much. She was pretty sure her face was beet red again as she waited for Freddie to open the door. Joan has watched enough teen series to know that these ’’let’s get to know our child’s new sweetheart” meetings never went well. In the best scenario, Freddie’s parents will show her Freddie’s baby pictures and embarrass their daughter, in the worst, they would pick Joan apart. Or maybe Joan would find out about some hidden food allergy in front of the Bulsaras, and would go into anaphylactic shock. The realization that she cannot handle spices suddenly flared up in her brain: she really hoped Freddie’s Mum didn’t cook something traditional…

The door opened right in this second, revealing a beaming Freddie, and Joan forget about everything else.

’’How are you so beautiful all the time?” Joan said instead of greeting, her brain turning into mush as she took in Freddie in her black and white striped dress. Freddie giggled softly, standing on the tips of her toes to press a sweet kiss against her lips.

’’Look who’s talking.” Freddie laughed against her lips. ’’You look breathtaking, darling.”

Joan grinned, pressing their lips together in another, deeper kiss. She wished she wasn’t holding the stupid greeting gifts, because they were in the way, and she couldn’t wrap her hands around Freddie’s waist like she usually would.

She slipped her tongue past Freddie’s lips teasingly, shivering at the soft gasp Freddie let out, pulling closer to mend her body against Joan’s, not even caring that she was smothering the flowers.

The sound of someone clearing their throat made them pull apart, and Joan wished the ground would open and swallow her whole as she spotted Freddie’s father standing there a little awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

Freddie decided to save the situation. ’’Papa, this is Joan.”

Joan finally snapped back into reality, trying to reach her hand out without dropping anything.

’’It’s very nice to meet you, uhm…Mr. Bulsara.”

’’Bomi, please.” He said, giving Joan a small smile. Joan glanced at Freddie who just shrugged, that beautiful smile still on her face.

’’Uhm…this is for you.” Joan said lamely, handing him the wine. Bomi hummed appreciatively, nodding Joan to follow him.

’’I think he likes you already.” Freddie said, kissing Joan on the cheek before finally taking the damn flowers away from her. They followed Bomi into the kitchen where Freddie’s Mum was just finished with cooking. Joan had to sniff the air only once to know there will be plenty of spices, and she tried not to pass out.

’’Hi. You must be Joan.” Freddie’s Mum said, pulling Joan into a hug to her biggest surprise.

’’I’m Jer.”

Joan was honestly dumbfounded. She expected stern looks and awkwardness, but everything was so familiar and homely, and she felt herself relax a little bit. She glanced towards the set table and spotted Freddie’s brother, who was grinning up at her.

’’And we have already met.” Joan chuckled, and Kareem grinned wider.

’’Yeah. See, I called it that you’re Freddie’s new girl.”

’’Yeah, you’re such an oracle.” Freddie teased, ruffling his hair. She turned back to Joan, giving her a sweet smile.

’’Do you like Indian food? I completely forgot to ask, I’m sorry.”

Joan swallowed, all too aware of the eyes on her. She didn’t want to make a bad first impression by refusing the food, so she forced a smile onto her face, silently praying for her stomach to survive. ’’I love it.”

’’Great.” Jer said, grabbing a steaming bowl. ’’I made chicken dhansak, it’s not that spicy.”

The first few minutes of the dinner was spent in awkward silence as Joan gripped her own thigh under the table, trying really hard not to show that her mouth was currently burning up. Not that spicy, my ass, she thought, blinking through her tears.

’’Are you okay?” Bomi asked, and Joan nodded hastily, swallowing a bite that burned her throat.

’’Yeah, it’s just…it’s so good.” Joan squeaked. In fact, she had no idea how it even tasted like due to the flaming spices numbing her taste buds. She wondered what spicy meant in this household if this was considered ’’not that spicy.”

Freddie patted her thigh under the table gently, giving her an encouraging little smile. Joan felt like Freddie knew she was having a hard time with the meal, because she spoke to distract her.

’’Joan plays varsity.” Freddie announced, and Bomi hummed appreciatively.

’’You do?”

’’Yeah.” Joan croaked, reaching for a glass of water to soothe her abused tongue. ’’I’m injured now, but I’m getting back on the field soon if everything goes well.”

She looked at Freddie, giving her a soft smile. ’’Freddie helped me get better.”

Freddie cooed softly, turning her gaze to her plate, suddenly seeming very shy. Joan loved the flirty Freddie, but if she wanted to be honest, she loved blushing, cute Freddie even more.

’’An athlete, who brings flowers and is very polite.” Jer said, smiling. ’’My daughter is very lucky with you.”

’’She definitely has a type.” Kareem laughed, and Joan felt an uncomfortable feeling settle into the pit of her stomach, and it wasn’t because of the chicken dhansak.

’’So what if I do?” Freddie chuckled, going back to eating, but Joan didn’t feel like she could stomach it more, for more than one reason. And Kareem didn’t even realize the damage he did.

’’It’s a true pattern with you. Muscular, tomboyish girls who bring flowers and charm our parents. First Jenny, and now Joan. You even like the ’J’ it seems.”

Joan felt her stomach twist, and she stood up with such fervor, her healing back ached with it. Bomi and Jer gave her a surprised look.

’’I’m sorry, I need to use the restroom.” Joan stuttered. Freddie rose to her feet too with a caring smile, but Joan wasn’t in the mood for even that now.

’’I’ll show you where it is.” Freddie offered, but Joan shook her head.

’’I’ll find it, it’s alright.”

With that, she left the gaping family behind, scurrying out of the kitchen as fast as she could. The Bulsara house wasn’t that big, so she could find the bathroom pretty easily. She grabbed onto the sink, taking big, calming breaths.

That fucking Fanelli again. Why did she always come up, haunting Joan like a damn sleep paralysis demon? Why did Kareem even have to bring her up!?

Because everyone likes her, even Freddie’s family probably liked her more than they like you, Joan’s mind screamed at her. Because she is much hotter, more fun, and probably looked better with Freddie than she did. She was the only one of The Clique Joan couldn’t handle, exactly for this reason. Because she was too bloody perfect, and she dated Freddie before her. Who was she compared to that stud, for real!?

Joan groaned, dabbing some cool water onto her face. Why didn’t Freddie date another loser like her before Joan came along? How was she supposed to live up to her expectations…because Freddie must have expectations, right? Who wouldn’t, after dating someone like Jenny Fanelli?

She sighed, walking out of the bathroom, her head ducked down. Maybe she should be like Fanelli, with a boyish charm and flirty attitude. Maybe she should be confident, and cool. She was part of The Clique now, so that automatically made her cooler, right?

Joan stuck her chin high as she walked back into the kitchen, a new wave of determination washing through her. Yeah, this is what she was going to do. She will be a better stud than Fanelli ever was, and then Freddie wouldn’t even think about her ex at all.

Because Joan would be the only thing she could think about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Jealousy by Queen plays in the background*


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A heartfelt conversation between mother and daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the radio silence, I didn't have too much motivation these days and I was also out a lot, but here I am now again!

The delicious smell of freshly done pancakes tickled Regina’s nose, pulling her out of her slumber effectively. Her stomach rumbled loudly, demanding to be fed, and she stretched out with a sated hum, letting her joints pop and creak as much as they wanted to. You would think that all that cheerleading practice would make her stronger, and yet here she was, creaking and whining like and old lady. Or maybe she just had an amazing sleep, when she didn’t even notice the awfully twisted position she was laying in, and she woke up to her body aching in all the best ways. Regina didn’t even remember when was the last time she slept so well.

It was probably because I have gotten rid of a huge weight on my shoulders, Regina mused as she sat up against the pillows, lolling her head from one side to the other to pop her neck. Coming out to her friends went really well: but then again, she should have expected it, really. The bigger percentage of The Clique consisted of lesbians, so they would hardly judge. And they have always been Regina’s rock, through thick and thin, supporting and caring for her even while they didn’t even know about Regina’s problems at home. Well, now they knew. And if Regina wanted to be honest, now it felt like she didn’t have carry this awful burden alone. Brianna, and her best friends all knew now, and they promised that they wouldn’t babble to anyone. Regina had strong confidantes now, who would keep her safe, no matter what. And now she didn’t have to hide her relationship with Brianna from them, and her new girlfriend was now officially a part of their little group. The thought made Regina smile amusedly: The Clique taking in two nerds from the bottom of the foodchain was definitely going to be the new talk of the whole school. Well, let them talk. Regina was done playing the mean girl, the one who thought she was better than anyone else.

Regina’s only wish now was to be safe enough to tell everybody, to be open about her new relationship. She wanted to shout it from the rooftops, she wanted to tell everyone that she had the most beautiful, smartest girlfriend in the whole world, and she made Regina happy as she has never been before. But there was an obstacle still, and the biggest one at that. 

Her father.

He still haven’t come back, and almost an entire week has passed. Maybe they got lucky and he fucked off for good, but Regina had a bad feeling about this. What if he was planning revenge, and will attack them when they expect it the least…?

The fact that she had to be scared of her own father, that she had to think of him as a predator hunting for its preys- namely his own damn family- was absolutely ridiculous, and Regina hated it so much. She just wanted things to be normal, to have a family where each members were caring and supportive, where she didn’t have to hide who she was.

Regina couldn’t help but wonder what her mother and brother’s reaction would be. She knew what her father would say, and it made her sick to her stomach. But what about her Mum? What about Clark? Would any of them tell her father once he comes back?

Regina felt her stomach twist again, and she grabbed her phone from the bedside table to distract her thoughts a little bit. Her lips immediately curled into a smile as she pulled up the messages: there was an adorable ’’good morning <3” from Brianna that made her heart flutter, a not at all funny meme from Crystal that still managed to make her laugh, and Phoebe asking her if she could borrow her hair curler. Regina felt her chest fill with warmth. This was the support network that she needed. A caring lover who always sent her good morning and good night messages religiously, and friends who always made her laugh and smile. Even if her family wouldn’t accept her, they would, and they already did.

Regina leaned back against her pillows and started typing to answer everyone when the delicious smell grew stronger, and then there was a soft knock on the door.

’’Come in.” Regina called out, sending the last text before putting her phone away and smiling up at her Mum.

Winifred walked in with a plate stacked full with pancakes, and Regina’s stomach let out a literal whine, making the both of them laugh.

’’Thank God I came up.” Winifred laugh, sitting down on the edge of Regina’s bed. ’’You would have starved to death otherwise.”

’’You are the best Mum.” Regina laughed softly, and Winifred blushed, ducking her head a little sheepishly.

Regina grabbed a pancake from the plate and bit into it, sighing happily as the rich taste of blueberry flooded her mouth. Winifred sent her a soft smile, but she was fiddling with her hands a little nervously, and Regina couldn’t help but notice. She swallowed the last bite, trying to ignore the nervous twist of her stomach.

’’Everything okay, Mum?” Regina asked, gripping onto her blanket to stop her hands from shaking. Winifred had a very strange look in her eyes, hunching on herself a little, and Regina started to fear the worst. What if…?

’’Oh my god.” Regina breathed, feeling her throat seize up. ’’Dad is coming back, isn’t he?”

Winifred saw the sheer panic in her eyes, and she quickly shook her head, giving her a reassuring smile.

’’No, I mean, I don’t know. I haven’t heard back from him.”

Regina breathed a huge sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping a little. It was good to know that she wasn’t in imminent danger. Still, something was bothering her Mum, that much was obvious.

’’So, what is it, then?” Regina asked, putting the plate away so she could scoot a little closer to her Mum. Winifred bit her lip, staring down at her feet.

’’I just felt the need to check on you.” Winifred said softly, still avoiding Regina’s gaze. ’’You really scared me with that panic attack.”

Regina sighed, giving her Mum an empathetic smile. Poor Winifred nearly lost her wits when the school nurse called her that Regina had a panic attack. Regina had to come up with some elaborate lie about how she was stressed because there was a move she couldn’t perfect during practice and it made her anxious, but honestly, she doubted if Winifred truly believed that. A conversation about that was clearly in order.

’’I’m fine, Mum.” Regina said softly, and Winifred nodded, chewing on her lip. In times like these Regina always saw their similarities. She usually had a hard time seeing it, no matter how many people told her that she looked just like her Mum, but now she could see it. This is exactly how Regina looked like whenever she was nervous about something.

’’That’s good to hear.” Winifred said, fiddling with the hem of Regina’s blanket. The silence stretched on after that, and Regina was about to ask what was really wrong, when Winifred spoke again.

’’Regina, can I…ask you something?”

Regina felt her heart thud against her ribcage, and she swallowed thickly. She wasn’t sure if she liked where this was going. What did her mother really want to talk about, that made her seem so upset?

She nodded lamely, biting her lip. Winifred gave a soft hum, finally looking Regina in the eyes again.

’’There was a girl here some time ago, with curly hair.” Winifred started, keeping her voice soft. It was clear she tried not to cause her daughter distress. ’’You didn’t tell me who she was.”

Regina let out a long breath, feeling her body relax again. If her mother only wanted to know who her new ’’friend” was, then she really shouldn’t panic.

’’Brianna.” She said, feeling her lips involuntarily curling into a smile, a Pavlovian reflex ever since she realized she had feelings for her former nemesis. ’’She helped me in Physics.”

’’I see.” Winifred said, narrowing her eyes. She was staring intently at Regina, causing her to raise an eyebrow in question. It seemed like her mother expected…something different? More?

Another long, uncomfortable silence laid over them, and Regina shifted on the bed. She had no idea where this conversation was going.

’’So, that’s it?” Winifred asked, her cheeks turning a little pink again. ’’You two are…not dating?”

The blood rushed into Regina’s head, and she got so dizzy for a second she had to grip onto the edge of the bed. Her ears buzzed with a shrill sound, and for a second she thought she was going to have another panic attack. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. That was exactly what Regina wanted to avoid: her family to know. This couldn’t be happening…

She shook her head, unable to speak. She felt her entire body tense up as tight as a bow, but Winifred still looked at her like she expected more details. She reached out and placed a hand on Regina’s knee, squeezing it lightly.

’’I swear I wasn’t eavesdropping.” Winifred said, and Regina tensed up even more. ’’But you left your door open, and I heard you talking to her.”

Regina wanted to facepalm- no, she wanted to headbutt the table next to her, preferably so hard that she would pass out. She was the biggest idiot in the entire world. She made such a big deal out of keeping it a secret, and then she was going around, drawing suspicion everywhere she went. How could she be so bloody stupid!?

Winifred let go of her knee and grabbed her hands instead, squeezing them gently. ’’I know you kissed, and that she spent the night here. And the way you were talking to her…I know you have very deep feelings for her.”

Regina felt her eyes well up with tears. She turned her gaze, staring at their joint hands. Her body was trembling with the sobs she desperately tried to hold back.

Winifred rubbed a thumb over the back of her hand, like everytime she did when comforting her kids. ’’Regina.” She said softly. She reached out and hooked a finger under Regina’s chin, lifting her face so she would look at her.

’’Sweetheart, it’s okay.” Winifred said, and Regina saw the tears in her eyes too.

’’I’m sorry…” Regina whimpered, feeling the tears running down her cheeks. Her body was shaking pathetically, and she curled in on herself slightly.

’’For what?” Winifred asked, wiping a tear off her daughter’s cheek. Regina hiccuped slightly, turning her gaze away once again.

’’For lying. For…for keeping it a secret, I don’t know…”

The floodgates opened completely when Winifred pulled her against her chest, stroking her hair gently, and she was openly sobbing now.

’’It’s okay.” Winifred repeated, her own tears spilling out and dripping onto Regina’s head. ’’I’m not mad at you. I love you so much, you know that, you little idiot.”

’’Even if I like girls too?” Regina asked, her voice sounding childish to her own ears. Winifred gave a soft chuckle, kissing the top of her head.

’’Of course. You are my kid, how could I ever be mad at you? I mean, sometimes I am, like when you put the empty milk carton back in the fridge or when you pile up your laundry in your chair instead of putting it in the bin, but not because you are being yourself.”  
Regina laughed wetly, wiping at her eyes. She smushed her cheeks against Winifred’s chest, breathing in her calming scent.

’’We wanted to keep it a secret.” She admitted, her cheeks turning a little red in embarrassment. ’’I…I still need to come to terms with it, in a way. And I don’t want Dad to know.”

’’Of course.” Winifred said, kissing Regina’s forehead. ’’I won’t tell him. Does Clark know?”

’’Not yet.”

’’I think you should tell him too, if you feel like it. He wouldn’t tell your father either.”

Regina nodded, wounding her arms around Winifred’s waist to snuggle closer, sighing happily. Another weight was lifted off, and Regina was practically melting against her Mum.

’’I can’t believe how lightly you took it.” Regina laughed, and she felt Winifred grin against her head.

’’Of course. What’s not to take lightly here?”

Regina felt fresh tears sting her eyes, this time from happiness. She wasn’t planning on this to happen at all, and yet, here she was. And her Mum was okay with it. Regina felt like her heart could burst from all the emotions she was feeling right now. Maybe she was an awful secret keeper, but she was a very happy one.

’’I love you, Mum.” Regina said, and Winifred hummed, carding her fingers through her hair.

’’I love you too. And Reg?”

’’Hm?”

’’I want to meet Brianna officially.”

Regina laughed, burrowing deeper into her mother’s arms.

’’Okay, Mum.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little secret: this is kind of self-indulgent, based on my own coming out so I was crying while writing it.
> 
> In other words, I love my Mum, and I love Winifred too :')


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is off with Joan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is...just plain drama.

Freddie had no idea what was going on with Joan today, but she was certain that she didn’t like it.

Her girlfriend offered her no explanation to her strange behavior during dinner in the Bulsara household, no matter how hard Freddie pried: Joan claimed the spices were too strong on her stomach, but Freddie wasn’t sure if she really believed this excuse. Something was definitely off, and she had a really bad feeling about this.

And Monday rolled around, and it was like someone bodyswapped Joan, like someone abducted her during the night and put a clone back into her place.

At first, Freddie didn’t think too much about it. Joan walked with an extra sway to her steps, which Freddie wrote off as the effect of finally being healed enough to walk without crutches, and it actually made her smile. The next thing she noticed was the leather jacket and the leather pants, and those were a little strange and unusual for Joan, but they didn’t seem too alarming.

’’I thought you were more of a denim girl.” Freddie said in greeting, looking her girlfriend over. Joan did look good in leather, but the sudden change in style definitely didn’t fail to raise at least a few alarms in Freddie’s head: they weren’t blaring yet, by all means, Joan could be just experimenting with a new style, but they were definitely tingling, telling her to keep an eye open just in case.

Joan didn’t reply, just grabbed Freddie by the waist and pulled her into an almost aggressive kiss that knocked the wind out of Freddie, and she squeaked, clutching onto Joan’s shoulders for balance before her girlfriend could push her down onto the floor, because for a second it honest to God felt like Joan was planning on doing that.

Freddie had to gently push Joan away so she could breathe, and she laughed softly, craning her neck away so Joan would stop kissing her.

’’Okay, this is a lovely greeting.” Freddie chuckled. Joan still didn’t say anything, and she didn’t take off the sunglasses that covered her face either. It seemed like she was either doing some kind of weird challenge or was playing a prank on Freddie, because there was no way this was real and genuine.

Just when Freddie was about to make a joke about her girlfriend looking like a special agent, Joan pushed her up against the locker and kissed her again, tugging on her bottom lip with her teeth.

Freddie usually didn’t have problems with PDA: her mentality boiled down to ’’fuck everyone who doesn’t like it”. But this here was stepping over the threshold of healthy public affection; if Freddie didn’t know any better, she would think Joan was trying to have sex with her right there in the school’s corridor.

Freddie was aware of the eyes on them, as well as the hushed whispers and leers, and for once, Freddie couldn’t quite blame them. This really was one hell of a sight.

The lock pressed into her back painfully, and Freddie growled, pushing Joan’s head away, but it only resulted in her attacking her neck instead, trailing kisses all over it.

’’Joan…” Freddie warned, her cheeks growing flushed in embarrassment. Had Joan do this to her in one of their room, away from the prying eyes, Freddie would surely be much happier, but they were in the damn school, and every single student stopped by to watch the show.

Joan bit down on her skin, very clearly trying to suck a hickey into it right there, against a fucking locker in front of everyone, and this was the last straw for Freddie.

She gathered all her strength and pushed Joan away, making her stumble slightly. Though she couldn’t see her eyes under the sunglasses, she still seemed pretty much surprised, and it set Freddie’s blood boiling.

’’What the hell is wrong with you?” She hissed, trying to keep her voice down as much as possible to save themselves from further embarrassment.

She touched her neck gingerly at where Joan bit her, wincing. Joan was nothing but a perfect gentlewoman up until this point, treating Freddie like a fragile Fabergé egg, and now she was going around pushing her up against lockers and biting her? This didn’t make any sense.

’’Nothing.” Joan said simply, shrugging. Freddie saw red. How did she not realize how stupid her behavior was? How the hell did she have the nerve to shrug? And…was she chewing on a damn gum like nothing was wrong!?

Freddie was just about to truly blow up in her face, but then the bell rang. That was the only thing that saved Joan from a mighty tantrum directed at her.

’’We’re so going to talk about this later.” Freddie huffed, pushing past Joan and marching away to her first class, trying to ignore the stares and the wolf whistles.

Freddie couldn’t concentrate during the lesson at all: all her thoughts were swirling around Joan and the awful, douchebag style behavior she displayed earlier. Why was she doing this? Was this some kind of joke? A dare?

Because this wasn’t like Joan at all. She had never once acted like this, not with Freddie, not with anybody. She was blushing and almost shyed away from holding her hand in public, and now she didn’t have any qualms about pushing her tongue down Freddie’s throat like a feral animal, seemingly not caring about the curious looks they were getting?

Freddie nearly broke her pen when someoned started making kissing sounds at her from the other row. Great. Now this was going to be the new talk of the entire school. Just what Freddie needed. The teacher hushed the culprit, but the little chuckles and a high five Freddie could see from the corner of her eye proved to her that yes, everyone was in fact way too interested in her love life.

Her phone buzzed from where she hid it under her textbook, and she checked it to see a message from Etta, who was sitting a few desks away from her.

_ Girl what the hell was that against the locker?_

Freddie groaned softly, checking if the teacher was watching, and she started typing.

_ I wish I knew. She didn’t say anything._

She could see Etta’s eyebrows shooting up to her hairline after she read her text.

_ WHAT??? She just ravished u and didn’t even talk during it?? Wtf _

Exactly, Freddie thought. What the fuck indeed. Etta could say or do wild things, but even she found this strange.

_ Talk to your stud _

Freddie rolled her eyes. ’’The stud”. Seriously, why the hell was Joan acting like some kind of douchey female Casanova, ready to bed everyone within an arm’s reach? When did Freddie give any indication that this was what she wanted?

Freddie tried to think back on all the times she spent together with Joan, desperately looking for something that could have triggered this behavior. She didn’t remember ever saying that she wanted Joan to act like this, did she? There was no way Joan just pulled this out of her ass on her own. Did someone say something to her?

The idea that someone was feeding bullshit to her girlfriend made Freddie puff up with rage. Whoever that asshole who told Joan she should change for Freddie was, they didn’t have too much time left, because Freddie would hunt them down for sport.

But who could it be?

Joan was only really friends with Brianna, and Brianna was one of them now too; surely she wouldn’t start spreading lies about Freddie and her choice of girls, just when they all made peace with each other, right? And surely no one from The Clique would say anything that would make Joan so insecure…?

Freddie was soon running out of options. Maybe it was someone from her varsity team, but Joan didn’t really interact with them outside of the field, especially now that she was still sidelined. She rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on slowly. She absolutely had no idea what was going on here.

She tried her best to avoid the leers and the comments when the next break came, but it wasn’t an easy task, due to the fact that it seemed like this was literally the only topic everyone wanted to talk about today.

Freddie gritted her teeth as she opened her locker to search for her Maths book (just what she needed on top of everything else: she already had trouble focusing), when someone brushed against her from behind.

Freddie was ready to turn around and slap the creep, but it turned out it was only Joan, looking a little more guilty: at least, she didn’t have the shades on.

’’Did you come here to push me up against the locker again? This time from behind?” Freddie growled, reaching back into her locker to search for the book. Where did damn thing go? At least it was thick, maybe she could whack Joan over the head with it.

A pair of strong hands grabbed her hips, a little gentler this time, calloused thumbs rubbing little circles onto the skin that was revealed between her top and her jeans.

’’I’m sorry.” Joan said, the first thing she said to Freddie today. Freddie sighed, trying not to crack and throw herself into Joan’s arms. No, she was stronger than that. Joan owed her more than just a sorry.

’’What the hell was this, Joan?” Freddie sighed, still not turning around. She knew she would melt if she looked into Joan’s eyes.

Joan sighed softly, propping her chin up on her shoulder. ’’I just missed you.”

Freddie scoffed. ’’You never kissed me like that before. You were…wild.”

The hands on her hips tightened again, and Freddie felt her initial softness immediately dissipate.

’’I know.” Joan said, pushing herself more against Freddie’s back. ’’I wanted to show you that I can be wild too.”

Freddie was about to let out a hysterical laugh, when Joan’s hand slid down to her butt and squeezed. Freddie squealed, turning around and slapping her hand away.

’’Haven’t you made me uncomfortable enough?” Freddie snarled, feeling tears sting her eyes. She hated fighting so much, especially with people she loved, and especially when those people hurt her. Because that’s what she felt right now: she felt hurt. Joan was acting so weird, like she wasn’t herself, groping her like she was a piece of meat for everyone to see, refusing to give her a real explanation and chewing gum in her face.

And the worst thing was, it seemed like maybe Joan wasn’t all that sorry at all.

’’What is your problem?” Joan asked, arching her eyebrows. The utter confusion was evident in her eyes: it seemed like she truly didn’t get what was going on in Freddie’s head right now.

’’I thought you like bad girls.”

Freddie’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. Where the actual Hell was this coming from?

’’Bad girls?” Freddie repeated numbly. ’’Joan, what are you talking about?”

Joan took a sharp breath before letting it out slowly, obviously trying to control herself not to explode, and finally, the tingling alarms in Freddie’s head started screeching with full force.

’’You know, girls who wear leather jackets and charm your panties off. Who are hot and confident and fun, who are…who are not like me! Girls who are so amazing, that even your family keeps bringing her up! Who spends hours in the gym and look like a freaking wet dream, and buys you expensive things…”

Joan finally ran out of breath, and she rubbed at her cheeks, staring down at the floor. Her pretend-cool attitude was soon replaced by the actual, shy, awkward Joan, avoiding Freddie’s eyes and hunching in on herself.

Freddie could practically feel the puzzle pieces getting together in her brain, forming the full picture. So that was the problem.

’’Jenny.” Freddie said, and she could see Joan wince at the name. ’’You want to be like Jenny.”

Joan didn’t reply, but her silence was enough. She sighed, shifting on her feet.

Looking back on it, maybe Freddie didn’t react like how she was supposed to. She probably should have comforted Joan, should have told her that she doesn’t need to be afraid and she doesn’t need to act differently, because Freddie loved her, but the damage was already done, and all Freddie could focus on was the humiliation she felt.

’’So, that’s your problem. That you don’t trust me.” Freddie growled, blinking rapidly against the tears gathering in her eyes. Joan snapped her head up, her eyes widening.

’’No, I…”

’’No, I understand.” Freddie huffed. ’’I’m just a stupid slut, right? I would go back to my ex, I would cheat on you, because I’m insatiable. Because I’m the school whore. Because I only deserve to be treated like that, having my ass groped in front of everybody.”

Joan looked confused, clearly not knowing what Freddie was talking about; but Freddie couldn’t think straight anymore. The only thing her brain could understand, that Joan didn’t trust her, that she could only see her as so many people did, a girl who would spread her legs for anybody. Freddie heard all the rumors, and now she was sure Joan did too. There was no other explanation. Joan wanted to be different, because she was scared Freddie would leave her for someone else. Because she must think that Freddie wouldn’t be a faithful girlfriend.

Joan opened her mouth to say something, but Freddie was too exhausted. She slipped out of Joan’s hold, not caring that she left her locker open, or that people were staring at her even more: she ran and ran, just wanting to be away from it all.

Just wanting to stop hurting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joan gets lectured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had quite a lot of fun with this chapter (it's definitely less angsty than the one before)!

Joan wanted to slap herself across the face, preferably so hard that she would pass out. She did the only thing that she promised herself she never would: she hurt Freddie. She caused her pain. How could she do this? That was not what she wanted to achieve, at all. She wanted Freddie to swoon, to fall into her arms and blink up at her with a dreamy sigh. She wanted to sweep her girlfriend off her feet.

And instead, she made Freddie cry and run away from her. She humiliated her in front of the whole school, and not even realizing that she did so. Joan has never felt more guilty in her whole life before.

After she came out of her initial shock-induced stupor, she started running after Freddie. She lost sight of her in the crowd, and her heart clenched. Where did she go? Was she even in the building? Did she run home? Did she just go to her next class? The last one was unlikely, considering how upset she was, and Joan doubted she would be okay sitting in a classroom and crying her eyes out in front of everybody- again. Joan pushed people out of her way, ignoring their offended comments: she needed to get to her girl. She needed to fix this. She had no idea how to do that just yet, but she knew that she had to.

Joan was so hellbent on finding her girlfriend that she didn’t realize someone else was running after her: didn’t hear the sound of sneakers creaking on the tiled floors, only when the person chasing her finally caught up to her and grabbed her arm in an iron grip.

Joan nearly had a heart attack on the spot, and she turned around flailing with her arms, trying to swat at whoever grabbed her. She managed to successfully slap them across the face with her frantic trashing, even though it wasn’t even her real intention.

She was horrified to see Jenny Fanelli rubbing at her cheeks with a surprised look. Great. This was exactly what she needed today. Being chased around the person who was the root cause for her insecurities, who haunted her nights, the entire reason behind Joan’s stupid mess of a plan today. And she even managed to slap her. She really was just digging her own grave today. Freddie would break up with her, and The Clique would throw her out and take revenge, and Joan will be lonely and miserable again, not to mention absolutely heartbroken. She could do just fine without her new…friends (?), but she had no idea how she could handle losing Freddie. That would be just too awful, and Joan didn’t even want to think about that particular option.

She stood, frozen on the spot, waiting for the inevitable punch in the face. It never came.

Jenny only sighed, looking almost disappointed. No, not almost. She looked utterly disappointed, and somehow sad.

’’We need to talk.” Jenny said, and Joan felt her heart drop. So, maybe Jenny will pull her away so other people won’t see her beating up Joan? Well, at least she didn’t want to humiliate her publicly. Unlike me, Joan thought bitterly, thinking back on how she acted with Freddie.

She swallowed thickly, looking at Jenny’s bicep. Joan was quite muscular too from playing varsity, but Jenny seemed to have more power in her arms: Joan was sure she could pack a punch if she wanted to. And right now, Joan felt like she kind of deserved it, if it ever came to Jenny decking her out.

Jenny didn’t wait for her response, just placed a hand on Joan’s shoulder and started pushing her towards the ladies’ room. That’s it, Joan thought, panic seizing her throat. She was sure she was going to end up with her face in the toilet, and maybe that would be the luckier outcome. The worse option was getting beaten up into a bloody pulp by Jenny.

Once they were inside, Jenny pushed her into a stall and closed the door on them. Oh, God, Joan thought, no one is going to be able to help. If she just simply beat her in the main area of the restroom, by the sinks, anyone could come in and save her. But they were locked together inside a tight stall, and there was no way out. Fuck, she really is gonna die today.

Jenny sent her a glare that had the blood freeze inside her veins, before crossing her arms before her chest, sticking her chin up. She was much shorter than Joan, around Freddie’s height, and yet, right now, she was the most intimidating thing Joan has ever encountered.

’’What the hell was this, Joan?” Jenny asked, her voice firm and demanding. It was obvious she wouldn’t let Joan go without an explanation. ’’I was out on the corridor and I heard everything. What is wrong with you, dude?”

Joan sighed, looking down on her feet to avoid Jenny’s piercing gaze. So, at least she has a chance to explain herself before getting murdered. The problem was, though, that Joan didn’t know how to explain herself. Nothing she did made sense, not even to herself anymore.

’’I don’t know.” She admitted, feeling her cheeks heat in embarrassment. ’’I shouldn’t have done this.”

’’That’s right.” Jenny said, shaking her head. ’’Groping Freddie and acting like an asshole fuckboy? What were you thinking?”

Joan didn’t reply. She also wished to know what went through her head when she decided she would transform into a stud to ensure her place beside Freddie. It seemed like such a good idea at first, but seeing the outcome, it was clearly the stupidest thing Joan has ever done.

’’I mean, I know what you were thinking.” Jenny continued, giving a bitter little chuckle. ’’I heard that too.”

Joan desperately wanted to facepalm. Right. Jenny has, apparently, heard that she was the reason Joan did this. This was so embarrassing, Joan just wanted to die on the spot.

She risked a glance at Jenny. The other girl was still staring at her intently, but her gaze was just a tad bit softer.

’’Look.” Jenny started, leaning back against the wall of the stall, sighing deeply. ’’I obviously noticed you have some kind of one-sided beef with me. I wasn’t exactly sure why, but I guessed it had something to do with the fact that Freddie and I used to date.”

Joan drew in a sharp breath. She hated to be reminded of this fact, especially today. She could see the tiniest hint of a smile on Jenny’s lips, and she raised a confused eyebrow.

’’But, as you noticed, we are not together anymore.” Jenny continued, her voice much softer than before, and it utterly confused Joan. So, she wasn’t here to get chewed out? To get beaten up?

’’Freddie loves you, Joan.” Jenny said, her smile widening. ’’She had been crushing on you for so long, and she just falls deeper and deeper in love with you each day. All she talks about is you.”

Joan blushed, staring at her feet again. She felt so bloody stupid for ever thinking Freddie would go running back to her ex. But then again, how could she say she deserved Freddie? She was a nobody compared to her. Why would Freddie fall for someone like her?

’’And I’m with someone else now.” Jenny continued, her voice so soft it made Joan look up. She saw pink blush suffusing Jenny’s cheek. All she could see on her face was pure, unadultered love and adoration.

’’I love Phoebe so much, Joan. I would never leave her, not for Freddie, not for anybody. And Freddie feels the same way about you. She would never leave you.”

Joan rested the back of her head against the wall, closing her eyes. Everything Jenny said made so much sense now.

’’I’m scared.” Joan admitted, surprising even herself with how roughly honest she was being, especially with Jenny, whose guts she hated just a few minutes ago.

’’I’m scared that I wouldn’t be good enough for her. I’m just…I’m just a stale piece of bread compared to you, or the other girls she have slept with…” Joan felt her cheeks grow even more flushed. It was so embarrassing, laying her soul out so bare, confessing her deepest fears. But in the same time, it also felt kind of liberating.

Jenny chuckled softly, but there was no mocking tone in her voice: if anything, she sounded empathetic.

’’Of course you’re good enough.” Jenny said softly. ’’Look, I…I understand, in a way, why you think so little of yourself, I mean…we did nothing to make you feel like a ’’cool kid” back then. And I’m sorry about it. We all are.”

Now it was Jenny’s turn to blush, looking guilty as hell. It was kind of satisfying.

’’But that was stupid.” Jenny continued, looking up at Joan again. ’’We are not above you because we are more popular, and you are not above us because you’re ’’not like other girls”, you know?”

Joan laughed softly, and she nodded. It really was such an idiotic thing of them, fighting and snarling at each other, everyone thinking somehow the other team was the meaner one. It was time they put all that behind themselves.

’’Trust me, Joan,” Jenny smiled, ’’Freddie loves you for exactly who you are. You don’t need to change for her, at all.”

Silence fell on them. Jenny gave time for Joan to digest everything she just heard. She did all she could to make Joan see how ridiculous this jealousy was: now it was Joan’s turn to decide what she wanted to do with this information.

And Joan felt awful. Not because of the lecture she got, but because now she could truly see what a clown she was. She hated on Jenny for nothing, and she hurt Freddie’s feelings for nothing. She didn’t need to be scared, at all.

’’Why did you two break up?” Joan asked softly. She felt like she needed to know, still.

Jenny smiled softly, not looking offended at all. ’’We just weren’t a good match. We were…we were very attracted to each other, and we loved each other to a degree, but we just couldn’t click. We didn’t fight, we didn’t cheat on each other, it was just…not working for us, you know?”

Joan nodded for Jenny to continue. ’’You know, Joan, sometimes people just don’t belong together. We realized that, and we ended it. We stayed friends, exactly because we did love each other, we just didn’t belong together that way.”

She took a step closer to Joan, placing her hand on her shoulder gently.

’’But you and Freddie…you are a fantastic match. Don’t fuck it up, okay?”

Joan sighed, ducking her head. ’’I already did.”

’’No, no, you didn’t.” Jenny promised. ’’We all make mistakes. You can still fix it.”

’’How?” Joan asked, not even caring how desperate her voice sounded. Jenny rolled her eyes, but there was a fond smile playing on her lips.

’’What do you think? Talk to her, you dumbass. Apologize. Explain why you did this, and let her explain why it hurt so much.”

Joan felt her heart drop. She remembered what Freddie said, about feeling like a whore, and about being called such by the rest of the school. God, she really fucked up.

’’What Freddie said,” Joan perked up, guilt seizing her throat, ’’about feeling like a slut, I…”

Jenny sighed, sadness creeping into her eyes. ’’Yeah. You know, there’s this sexist bullshit that if you sleep with a lot of people it means you are a slut. Seriously, it’s not even that big of a number by the way, but some people are jealous. A lot of guys couldn’t handle the fact that Freddie was a lesbian and they never had a chance with her, and so they keep calling her a slut to make themselves feel better. There are homophobic assholes too.”

’’When I didn’t know her, I thought she really was…” Joan sighed. She was unable to say that word again in relation to her lover. ’’Because she was always acting so flirty around everyone, and wore those clothes…”

Jenny frowned, and Joan held up her hands in defense. ’’Now I know she’s not like that, okay? And I know that short dresses doesn’t mean that, just…I was an idiot.”

’’But at least you learn.” Jenny said, her face softening. ’’See, you had assumptions about Freddie before knowing her, but she proved you wrong. You know she’s not like that, Joan. You don’t need to be scared.”

Joan nodded, taking a deep breath. Jenny was right. And there was one more thing Joan couldn’t keep inside anymore…

’’I’m sorry, Jenny.” She said, blushing deeply. ’’For being so rude and weird around you. You just…you look really hot, and you’re cool, and you felt like a threat…”

Jenny laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. ’’As flattering as it sounds, I’m much more into femmes and curvier girls, sorry, Joan.”

Joan snickered, lightly punching her in the arm. ’’Very funny. You know what I mean.”

’’I do.” Jenny laughed softly. ’’But don’t worry, okay? You look really good yourself, there’s nothing to be insecure about.”

Joan was unable to hold back a smile. She definitely didn’t dream of Jenny Fanelli of all people boosting her confidence, but now that it happened, she wasn’t really complaining. In fact, this little heart to heart conversation felt like some kind of cleansing.

’’I’m gonna talk to Freddie…” Joan started, but the sound of the bell ringing interrupted her, and she sighed. ’’After class, I guess. I hope she’s okay.”

’’She will be.” Jenny said, patting Joan on the shoulder in a friendly manner. She unlocked the door, letting Joan forward. ’’She’s probably with one of the other girls right now. It’s probably better if you don’t run over to her right now. She needs some time to cool off.”

They walked out of the restroom to go to their next class, but then Jenny stopped Joan again.

’’Seriously,” Jenny scoffed, ’’was that bad girl act you did today supposed to be an impersonation of me?”

Joan chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of her neck. ’’Maybe…?”

’’Rude.” Jenny laughed, lightly swatting at Joan’s head. ’’I never acted like this!”

’’I’m sorry.” Joan squeaked, but Jenny just waved a dismissive hand. 

’’It’s okay. Wrong assumptions, right? I mean, I always assumed you have bad breath for some reason.”

Joan gasped, making Jenny laugh. ’’WHAT!?”

’’I don’t know why.” Jenny admitted, snickering a little. ’’Sorry, dude.”

Joan shook her head but grinned. ’’Thanks for the talk, Jenny. It meant a lot.”

’’You’re very welcome.” Jenny replied with a grin. ’’I gotta go to my class, good luck with Freddie.”

With that, she was gone, and she left the utterly beaming Joan behind. This went surprisingly well, and Joan felt much better than about fifteen minutes ago. She will seek out Freddie as soon as possible, and she will tell her, as a normal human being, what truly bothered her, as well as comforting Freddie and promising her she will never hurt her again. And maybe, she still had a chance to save her relationship.

But there was something that still bothered her a little, and she needed some reassurance before she moved on…

She quickly breathed on her palm and smelled it, and after noting that her breath didn’t smell bad, she hurried to her class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say I love the dynamic between this futch-butch duo?


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddie and Joan have an honest conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for stretching this storyline so long, but I just love drama.
> 
> Also, I have an awful day, so some comments would be a nice way to cheer me up! (you know, just sayin')

Freddie pushed herself away from the railing, gripping onto it with her arms tense, stretching her body until every single muscle started aching. She liked this kind of ache: it made her feel like she was truly alive, and she had to focus on her body instead of her thoughts.

Ballet didn’t allow you to dwell: it required too much focus. Just a wrong move, and you either broke something or just totally ruined the choreography. You couldn’t let yourself lose focus, you had to be alert and on guard every single milisecond. Mind, body, as they said. They had to be connected, otherwise everything fell apart. And Freddie sure wasn’t going to let this fall apart too, amongst other things.

She furiously wiped the tears off her face as she let go off the barre and spinned into the middle of the room. She knew she was doing things a little faster, a little too tight today: if there was such thing as angry ballet dancing, Freddie was obviously doing just that.

Freddie lifted her right leg and stretched it out behind herself, extending her arms forward as she balanced herself into first arabesque, frowning at herself in the mirror. Her posture was way too tense despite the meticulous warm-up, and let’s not even talk about how awful she looked in general. Her cheeks were red and her eyes were puffy from crying; not exactly a pretty, graceful ballerina.

Phoebe, who was currently taking a break against the barre sent her a worried look. She was the one that caught her when she nearly collapsed after running through the building of the school, scooping her up in her arms and half-carrying her away from the curious looks of other students. She tried to calm her down and drag her into Maths class, but Freddie refused to go. And Phoebe, being the self-sacrificing friend, decided to ditch with her. She would just say she was the one who made Freddie stay away from class with her, taking the fall instead. Clearly the last thing Freddie needed today was a scolding from a teacher.

’’Maybe you should take a break too.” Phoebe said softly, sighing as she saw Freddie’s muscles trembling beneath her skin. It was clear Freddie was trying to overwork herself to forget about the pain, and it was never a good plan.

’’I’m fine.” Freddie huffed, placing her legs down onto the floor and standing up into an éfface derriere. She was aware she must have looked a sight, looking like death while standing in such an elegant position, but she couldn’t care less. She didn’t really care about anything today.

’’No, you’re not.” Phoebe said, pushing herself away from the railing and walking over to Freddie. She gently grabbed her friend’s shoulders to pull her down into a normal standing position, looking intently into her eyes.

’’Tearing yourself apart is not going to help.”

Freddie sighed, rubbing at her temples. She felt another mighty migraine coming on- just what she needed on top of everything else. As if this day wasn’t awful enough.

’’I don’t know why she did this, Pheebs.” Freddie whispered, staring down at her feet. All the memories of Joan’s awful behavior started pouring back in, and her eyes welled up with tears.

’’She was being so terrible.”

Phoebe sighed softly, gently wiping Freddie’s tears off with her thumbs. Freddie didn’t even realize they spilled out again.

’’I don’t think she meant it, Freddie. She doesn’t seem like that type of person who would do something like that on purpose.”

’’Maybe I misjudged her personality.” Freddie whispered bitterly, biting her lip to hold herself back from ugly sobbing. ’’I clearly don’t know her too well.”

’’Look,” Phoebe started softly. She took Freddie’s hands into her own and led her to the side, making her sit down against the barre despite her protests.

’’Joan loves you. I’m not sure why she did what she did, but I don’t think she really wanted to hurt you. She really doesn’t seem like that kind, you know.”

Freddie sighed deeply, resting her head on Phoebe’s shoulder. ’’I don’t know anything anymore. I just want someone that really loves me, you know? Someone that cares about me…my personality, not just my body. I hate offering my heart on a silver platter and then having it stomped over.”

The tears started streaming down again, and she hid her face in Phoebe’s shirt. Phoebe wrapped her arms around her and pulled her as close as possible. 

Freddie was a generally very cuddly person; she loved hugs, from friends, family, and lovers alike. Human contact, especially physical contact was what kept her alive. And Phoebe gave one of the best damn hugs out there: she was so big and soft, Freddie always joked about kidnapping her in the middle of the night and taking her home as a teddy bear. She burrowed deeper into her friend’s arms, curling up against her side as small as possible.

The door of the ballet room suddenly opened, banging against the wall, and the two girls jumped, holding onto each other in panic at the sudden noise. Freddie sighed deeply as a very disheveled looking Joan appeared in the doorway, her eyes big and panicked as she looked around the room. She visibly deflated as she spotted Freddie and Phoebe sitting on the floor.

’’Thank god,” Joan wheezed, placing a hand on her lower back and wincing. Despite her anger towards her, Freddie couldn’t help the worry that flared up inside her when she realized that Joan was probably running after her, causing her back to start aching again.

’’I was looking for you everywhere.”

She took a few uncertain steps towards them before halting, looking like she had no idea what to do. 

’’I heard you didn’t go to your class.” Joan said quietly, fiddling with her hands. ’’So I…I got scared, that you might ran home, or something.”

She waited for Freddie to reply, but Freddie didn’t feel like talking. What was she supposed to say? The only person here who owed an explanation, was Joan.

Joan clearly knew that too, because she audibly swallowed, her cheeks turning red in embarrassment. ’’Freddie, I am so sorry. Can we please talk?”

Freddie sighed, drawing her knees up against her chest and hugging them, peeking up at Joan from behind her legs. There was an extremely angry part of her that wanted Joan to leave, and there was that lovesick, soft side that wanted Joan to come over here and hug the hell out of her and tell her that she didn’t mean it like that. And eventually, Freddie let that softer part win.

’’Yes.” Freddie said quietly, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. ’’I wanna know what this was all about.”

Phoebe pulled back from her, gently patting her hand as she went to stand. ’’I’m gonna leave you two to it.”

Freddie nodded, giving Phoebe’s hand one last squeeze as she rose to her feet. She watched as Phoebe walked up to Joan, putting her hands on her hips.

’’You better make it up to her properly.” Phoebe said, her voice a strange mixture of soft and firm. She leaned very close to Joan, narrowing her eyes.

’’And don’t hurt her again, or I’ll throw you out the window.”

Freddie covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile when she saw the terrified look on Joan’s face. Phoebe was a real softie, but when it came to her best friends, she was a real mama bear, and God save anyone who was on the receiving end of her wrath. Joan clearly didn’t think this adorable marshmallow of a person would threaten her, because she shrunk to half her size, nodding furiously. Phoebe blew Freddie a kiss and left, shutting the door behind her to give the two girls their much needed privacy.

’’Woah…she can be scary.” Joan chuckled nervously, and Freddie couldn’t help a soft laugh from escaping.

’’Yes. She is very protective of all of us. Especially me, because…I’m a little oversensitive sometimes.”

’’You are not.” Joan said softly, finally closing the distance between them and sitting before Freddie on the floor. She kept just enough distance that if Freddie wanted to escape, she could.

’’You have every right to be angry with me, Freddie.”

She rubbed at her back again, and Freddie felt her heart soften even more. ’’Does it hurt?”

’’It’s not that bad.” Joan said, waving a dismissive hand. ’’And I deserve it, anyway.”

’’Don’t say that.” Freddie whispered, ducking her head, but Joan shook her head, shifting just a little bit closer.

’’But I do, Freddie, I was an asshole. You didn’t deserve what I did.”

Freddie blinked quickly to hold back her tears. She let out a shuddering breath as Joan placed a very careful hand on her knee.

’’I owe you an apology, and a real explanation.” Joan said, her own eyes shifting to stare at her feet as she gathered her thoughts.

’’I was insecure, and jealous.” Joan said, blushing softly. ’’When you told me that Jenny and you used to date, I…I panicked. Because she is a really cool, hot tomboy, and I was thinking, oh my god, what do I have that she didn’t? What can I give you that she couldn’t? How could I live up to your expectations, after dating someone like that?”

Freddie opened her mouth to say something, but Joan placed a gentle finger against her lips to shush her.

’’No, I’m gonna confess everything, you deserve to know the truth.” She pulled her hand away, gently caressing Freddie’s chin in the process.

’’So, I was jealous of her. Because I’m such a loser, and I just…I still cannot believe you’re dating me, of all people! And it’s like a dream, and I kept waiting to wake up. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t trust you, it was that I didn’t trust myself that I would be able to give you everything you deserve.”

She took Freddie’s hands into hers, gently tracing the back of them with her thumbs. ’’I made Jenny into the enemy, even though my biggest demon was myself, and my stupid self-doubts. Then we had that dinner with your parents, and Kareem brought her up, and I was thinking, maybe they would want someone like her for their daughter instead.”

’’No.” Freddie said softly, lacing her fingers together with Joan’s. ’’Kareem didn’t mean it like that.”

’’I know that now.” Joan admitted. ’’But I got scared, and I…I wanted to prove to you, that I can be like her, like…this hot stud.”

Freddie couldn’t help a little giggle. It was so weird that Joan ever thought Freddie would only love her if she went full female Tom Cruise.

’’I didn’t realize I was hurting you.” Joan said, her voice so full of guilt it made Freddie’s heart clench.

’’And I didn’t know that…that…that you were called those awful things, and you thought that I was…”

Freddie nodded, sighing. It was clear Joan didn’t think this through. Phoebe was right, Joan absolutely wasn’t that type of person who would cause Freddie pain intentionally.

’’Yeah.” Freddie breathed, swallowing to hold back her tears. ’’You know, I didn’t have too great relationships. After I came out as a lesbian, all I had was girl wanting to experiment, and then they would call me a whore for sleeping with them. And guys who would spread lies about me having sex with them, because they were mad at me for being gay.”

She blinked hard, trying to wave the awful memories away. ’’I really don’t want to make you even more jealous, but…Jenny was the only one who actually cared about me. But then, we just didn’t work out.”

She looked up at Joan, taking a deep breath. ’’And then you came along. I…thought that I found my soulmate, and then you did this, and I felt that…that you think of me like that, too.”

She felt fresh tears spilling out, and Joan tutted softly, wiping them away. ’’No, Freddie, I don’t, I really don’t. I swear, I would never do that to you. I love you, okay? Maybe it’s too early to say it, but…I do.”

Freddie felt her heart swell inside her chest, and she couldn’t help but smile through her tears. ’’You really do?”

’’Yes.” Joan said, and her voice was absolutely sincere. ’’I love you, and I don’t wanna lose you. I won’t let my insecurities get the better of me, ever again. I would rather be an uncool nerd than hurt you.”

A soft laugh bubbled up from Freddie’s chest, and she cupped Joan’s cheeks. She couldn’t stop grinning.

’’I love you too.”

She pulled Joan into a kiss, sighing happily against her mouth. Joan’s arms found their way around Freddie’s hips, and she gently pulled her into her lap, the ache in her back clearly forgotten.

’’Promise you won’t do this again?” Freddie whispered against her lips, and Joan nodded, her arms tightening around Freddie’s waist.

’’I promise. I truly am very sorry, Freddie.”

’’I know.” Freddie said softly, pressing their foreheads together. ’’Thank you, for being honest. And I promise, Joan, I would never leave you, not for Jenny or anybody else. You are perfect for me, just the way you are. You don’t have to change anything.”

Joan gave a relieved sigh, slipping a hand under Freddie’s tank top to feel the warmth of her skin at her waist. ’’That’s good to hear.”

’’Mhm.” Freddie looked down at her, and she couldn’t help a grin, making Joan raise an eyrebrow in question.

’’Drop the douchebag attitude, but you can keep the leather pants.”

Joan laughed, pulling Freddie into another kiss. She gently pecked her nose as they parted, smiling up at her. ’’Jenny gave me a piece of her mind.”

Freddie gasped, her eyes nearly falling out of her head. ’’What?”

’’Yeah.” Joan laughed. ’’She saw me being stupid, and she told me what an idiot I am. And, she was right.”

’’So, I assume you guys buried the hatchet, then?” Freddie grinned, and Joan chuckled softly.

’’It wasn’t that much of a hatchet, considering I was the only one snarling at her, but…yes.”

Freddie giggled happily, pressing their lips together again, kissing her girlfriend until she could barely breathe.

So, it wasn’t that terrible of a day, after all.

She would need to figure out a way how to explain her ditching class, but other than that, everything was pretty great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They are my babies, and I will forever protect them.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina wants to make a birthday present for her Mum, and she turns to Brianna and the rest of The Clique for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly just fluff- until it's not.

Regina giggled and lightly swatted at Brianna’s head, pushing her away from her neck when the brunette started peppering kisses all over the soft skin.

’’Bri, we need to focus!” Regina laughed, but Brianna just hummed, nuzzling her cheek with her nose.

’’I’m focusing.” Brianna replied almost innocently, wrapping her arms around Regina’s waist and hauling her up into her lap, causing the blonde to let out a soft squeak. ’’I’m focusing on you.”

Regina cooed. She was unable to resist her adorable girlfriend anymore, and she leaned in to press their lips together chastely. Brianna whined when she pulled away, chasing after her lips.

’’What’s up with you today?” Regina laughed, squealing when Brianna kissed that ticklish spot right under her ear. ’’Brianna!”

’’Am I not allowed to kiss my girlfriend?” Brianna chuckled softly, taking a soft blonde lock between her fingers and playing with it. ’’I’m just happy, you know. That we are officially together, and our friends know, and your Mum knows too. Things are just…they are finally on track.”

Regina smiled, cupping Brianna’s cheeks and planting another kiss against her lips. She didn’t exactly blame her girlfriend: probably no one was happier now than Regina was. Her biggest enemy turned into her lover, she wasn’t failing Physics anymore, her little Clique grew by two new members, her Mum knew everything and was totally acceptive, and they still haven’t heard back from her father. It truly was like a dream, and Regina kept waiting to wake up- but luckily, it was all real.

Still, as perfect and glittery and cute as everything was, they still needed to be done with this.

’’Come on, let’s finish this, and then we can make out some more.” Regina offered, waving the piece of cardboard in front of Brianna’s face almost teasingly, making her girlfriend groan softly, before she gave Regina a cheeky smile.

’’Promise?”

Regina laughed, playfully kissing the tip of her nose. ’’I promise.”

She invited Brianna over so they could work together on the birthday gift Regina was planning for her Mum, and they haven’t really gotten anywhere (due to the fact they mostly just kissed and cuddled instead, and also the fact they were both lacking some artistic skills). She was planning on making a ’’memory board”, as Regina so creatively called it, with pictures and cute little messages. She always preferred making her Mum handmade gifts- which Brianna playfully teased her over, because ’’and you’re calling me a nerd, Miss Decoupage”-, and this one was her biggest project so far. Since it wasn’t coming alone that easily as she thought and hoped it would, they sent desperate S.O.S. messages to The Clique to make it a group effort instead. But as they haven’t arrived yet, Regina and Brianna had to struggle alone.

’’Okay, so maybe we should put flowers on it too.” Regina offered, lifting a crumpled piece of paper that was supposed to contain a drawing. Handmade gifts were her forte, alright: that didn’t mean they ended up looking good. Winifred would have put it on the walls anyways.

’’Drawings?” Brianna chuckled, pointing at the mess Regina created. ’’Please tell me you meant real ones instead.”

’’I did! And don’t insult me!” Regina huffed, sticking her tongue out at Brianna playfully. Just when Brianna was about to use this as her chance to kiss her again, the front door opened, and they soon heard voices from downstairs.

’’So, who here is in dire need of my artistic skills?” Freddie sang, already trodding up the stairs. She soon appeared in the doorway along with Joan, both of them grinning from ear to ear.

’’Oh, sorry, did we interrupt your little moment?” Joan teased when she noticed Regina sitting on Brianna’s lap, making the pair blush.

’’In fact, yes you did.” Brianna growled playfully, raising her middle finger at Joan. ’’I was just about to kiss the hell out of this sweetheart.”

Regina turned even redder at that, burying her face in her hands in embarrassment. Joan whistled, and Freddie chuckled lowly.

’’Oops, someone is getting frisky.” She grinned. The smile quickly melted off her face when her eyes fell on the chaos that Brianna and Regina created together.

’’What. In. The. Hell.”

’’Erm, yeah.” Brianna laughed, brushing some –totally unnecessary, in her opinion- glitter off her arm. ’’Guess we needed some help.”

’’That’s a light expression.” Etta laughed as she walked in, her eyes immediately going to the mess on the bed. ’’I always forget our Reg has the artistic skills of a five years old.”

’’Fuck off.” Regina replied, but she couldn’t help but laugh. Well, she truly needed all the help she could get if she wanted her poor, overstressed mother to have a nice present.

’’Oh, that’s not too bad.” Phoebe offered sweetly. She picked up a little paper heart, holding it up to examine it. ’’This apple looks really cute.”

’’Yeah, that’s supposed to be a heart, actually.” Regina snorted, and Phoebe chuckled, putting it back down gingerly.

’’Oh, well, it’s still not too bad.”

’’No, baby, it is bad.” Jenny laughed, taking the discarded heart into her hand, snorting. ’’You know what? This looks like an ass.”

Phoebe swatted at her lightly, earning herself a slap on the butt from her girlfriend. Phoebe gasped, and Jenny shrugged with a shit-eating grin.

’’Okay, would you all stop spanking each other and help?” Brianna laughed, throwing a tube of glue at Jenny. ’’Make yourself useful.”

’’Someone is getting very mouthy. Watch out, you’re just a newbie.” Crystal said grimly, making Brianna’s face fell. Crystal snorted, patting her on the shoulder.

’’I’m just messing with you, Nerd.”

’’Let her live.” Regina laughed, raising a threatening finger at Crystal. Crystal held her hands up defense, taking her place on the bed to look over the work.

’’I think you should give the most work to me, no offence to anyone here.” Freddie said softly, immediately grabbing a pencil and an empty paper sheet. 

’’That’s right.” Regina admitted with a little grin. ’’Freddie is the best at this kind of stuff, we all need to admit that.”

Joan hummed appreciatively, kissing Freddie’s cheek lovingly. ’’A ballerina, who can also paint and draw? You’re so talented, baby.”

Freddie cooed, turning her head to press their lips together in a kiss, wrapping her arms around Joan’s neck.

’’Ew.” Crystal snorted. ’’You guys are truly disgusting.”

’’You’re just jealous because you’re single.” Etta said, stuffing a crisp into her mouth from the bowl that was prepared for them. 

’’You’re single too!” Crystal snapped back, and Etta shrugged.

’’But I’m not jealous.”

’’Neither am I!”

’’You are.”

’’No!”

’’Yes.”

’’Shut up!” Crystal grabbed a handful of chips and threw it into Etta’s face, making the latter practically shriek with laughter.

’’Kindergarten.” Regina scoffed, before turning back to Freddie and Joan, giving them a soft smile. ’’I’m so glad you guys are okay now.”

’’Yeah.” Freddie said, resting her cheek against Joan’s shoulder. ’’We talked it out.”

’’And where’s our credit?” Jenny asked in a fake offended tone, putting her hands on her hips. ’’Phoebe and I made your asses talk.”

’’And I also saved you from trouble when I said I lured you away from Maths class.” Phoebe chirped, grinning at Freddie. ’’But I didn’t end up in trouble either, because I bribed the teacher with cookies.”

’’Mrs. Marshall is too soft.” Freddie laughed, her eyes twinkling. ’’But seriously, thank you, guys.”

’’For real.” Joan added, nodding at Jenny. ’’If you hadn’t pull me away, then…I guess we wouldn’t be sitting here now, together.”

’’Eating each other’s face.” Etta added, grinning. ’’Much to Crystal’s pain.”

Crystal growled, attacking her with a pillow this time. ’’Why are you such an ass?”

’’Don’t worry, we can still get married if we won’t find anyone else.” Etta chuckled, making ridiculous kissing noises at Crystal until she couldn’t help but laugh along too.

’’Now that would be a disaster.” Regina snickered. She gathered her scattered stuff in her hands again, taking a deep breath.

’’Okay, shall we start now?”

Work was flowing much more easily as they had more hands to work with- though Etta and Crystal kept going with their pointless banter for the rest of the day, so honestly, they didn’t do much. Freddie pulled everything nicely together, and Regina couldn’t help but be totally awestruck at her artistic skills. She always sucked at these kind of things, but Freddie made it seem so easy- just like she danced, practically flying, making people forget that this was actually a pretty hard sport.

’’Your hearts now actually resemble hearts, and not asses.” Jenny announced after she cut a form, holding it up triumphantly.

’’Apples.” Phoebe corrected her, trying to soften the blow, but Jenny just laughed.

’’Come on, don’t be coy. They used to look like a big, juicy butt, much like your…”

Phoebe quickly covered her mouth, blushing deeply. Regina laughed so hard she felt tears stinging her eyes. She still couldn’t believe this: they were her stupid, perfect friends, all of them supporting her and going to the end of the world for her. A made-up little family, that was a little weird, and sometimes a little dysfunctional, and yet, it worked somehow. She looked at Brianna who was in the process of smearing glue all over her hand, and her heart filled with warmth. She couldn’t believe she used to hate this softie, that the two of them fought and wanted to strangle each other. Here they were now, together, in love. How did this happen, Regina didn’t know, but she certainly wasn’t complaining. She looked at Freddie and Joan who kept sneakily kissing each other while working, and she couldn’t help but grin. They have also come a long way, from avoiding each other to giving each other smacking kisses. Regina’s heart seized when she found out that Freddie and Joan had their little fallout a faw days prior, and she was absolutely pumped now that they were okay again. She looked all her friends over, and she couldn’t help a happy sigh. Brianna was right earlier: everything was on track.

But then again, it’s just Murphy’s law that when things are going so smoothly, something awful has to happen to shake you out of your little dreamland.

They were in the middle of discussing whether sunflowers or tulips were prettier as a pattern, when they heard the front door open again, and Regina’s blood froze in her veins as she heard an all too familiar, and clearly drunk male voice shouting her mother’s name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger time, I guess.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael Taylor is back with full force.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for violence and abuse in this chapter!

This cannot be happening. Maybe this was just a nightmare, and Regina will wake up soon to find everything alright how it was. He was gone, he fucked off, seemingly for good, and now he was back to destroy everything. This had to be a nightmare, there was no way this was real.

Brianna only had to take one look at Regina’s face to immediately know something was very wrong. She placed a gentle hand on Regina’s knee, squeezing it lightly. That was all she could offer right now. She had never met Regina’s father before, but the stories about him were enough for her to nearly shit her pants, as well as set her blood boiling. He was a very scary, hateful man, and the thought that he was back to hurt her lover made Brianna feel like screaming.

Everyone was frozen in place: it was as if the sounds have been sucked out of the world. The excited chittering was gone to be replaced by a heavy silence; no one dared to make a noise, or move.

’’Winifred!” Michael shouted again. Regina flinched as she heard the unmistakable sound of his fist connecting with the wall. ’’Where the hell are you!?”

’’Reg,” Freddie whispered, curling up smaller against Joan’s side, ’’what are we supposed to do?”

Regina swallowed thickly, glancing towards the door. It was only a matter of time until Michael notices the unknown pairs of shoes and realizes that she wasn’t only home, but she has also got company- something her father has never been too fond of. She had to do something, for the sake of her friends.

’’I’m gonna say hello to him.” Regina replied, her voice tight and cold, trying to keep her emotions at bay. ’’You stay here, and keep quiet.”

Brianna reached for her hand, trying to hold her back, but Regina was already walking towards the door, her back stiff and her face grey, like she was heading for her execution.

’’Reg…” Brianna tried, and Jenny shushed her softly, gently pushing her back before she ran after Regina and caused her more trouble than necessary.

Regina walked down the stairs, biting her lip so hard she nearly drew blood. She already felt that all too familiar tightness in her chest as she spotted her father standing in the doorway to the living room, his hands balled up into fists against his sides.

’’Dad.” Regina croaked, hating how her voice wobbled. Her father turned around, giving her a look that was lacking any kind of emotion.

’’Where is your mother?” He rumbled, and Regina swallowed thickly. She hated this tone of voice, but at least he wasn’t shouting- yet.

’’She is at work.” Regina replied. ’’Clark is at one of his friend’s.”

Michael hummed. He turned his look away from Regina, towards the shoes, and Regina felt her stomach twist.

’’Your fucking dyke friends are over, aren’t they?”

Regina felt a shiver run down her spine. She hated how her father kept calling her friends that, she hated the fact that her father thought of her friends as insects- and about her too, he just didn’t know yet.

’’We’re gonna be quiet.” Regina promised, nervously fiddling with her hands. Her whole body started trembling uncontrollably when Michael stepped closer, towering over her, his eyes glowing dangerously.

’’Send them away.” He said, leaning closer to her. Regina winced from the stink of booze radiating off him.

’’I have a headache. I don’t wanna listen to their fucking shrieking.”

’’Dad…” Regina tried, feeling herself shrink as her father all but growled. He suddenly grabbed Regina’s arm, yanking on it, making her hiss from the pain.

’’I said,” Michael spat, ’’send them the fuck away!”

Regina felt tears stinging her eyes. She hated how her brain always refused to cooperate when her father started throwing threats around. She hated how she froze, how she forgot how to breathe, unable to defend herself or her family, or her friends.

Apparently, she was way too numb for Michael’s liking, because he raised his hand- and Regina saw everything in slow motion. He hasn’t hit her yet, but he hit her Mum, and he hit Clark, and it was her turn now. He wasn’t satisfied with that shove he gave her once; now she will really get a taste of his true anger…

Just before Michael’s hand could come in contact with Regina’s cheek, someone yelled, at the top of their lungs, making Michael stop and look up, confused.

’’Don’t you dare!” Brianna screamed again. Regina looked up, and her heart started hammering inside her chest: Brianna was standing at the top of the stairs, her face a mask of pure rage, all but snarling at Michael. She looked even taller, and much more intimidating than ever before. And she was holding…a tub of Regina’s body lotion, for some reason?

’’And who the fuck are you?” Michael spat. ’’This is none of your bloody business!”

He turned back to Regina, opening his mouth – presumably to yell at his daughter again- but he was quickly shut up as the heavy tub of the lotion collided with his head with a satisfying tud. It was a maxi size, and it was full, so it was a surprisingly great weapon, especially thrown from such a distance with full force.

Michael stumbled back, pressing a hand against his head with a groan. Regina was so shocked, she just stared forward. Did her quiet nerd of a girlfiend just decked her father with some body lotion?

Michael growled, and Regina was kind of satisfied to see his fingers came back a little bloody as he pulled them away.

’’I’m gonna fucking kill all of you…” Michael snarled, and Regina’s heart dropped again. Maybe she shouldn’t feel so proud of Brianna just yet- because if he Michael wasn’t angry enough before, then now he was murderous.

’’No, you are not.” Regina heard, and she turned back to see now all of her friends standing behind her, snarling at Michael. They looked like some kind of messed up superhero team, all of them holding various items: Freddie was sporting a paper cutting scissor, holding it up threateningly.

’’Leave her alone, or I swear I will stab you!” Freddie screamed, her eyes so dark it was genuinely scary. Regina had no doubts she will truly use that damn scissor.

Michael laughed mockingly, looking over the girls with a disgusted look.

’’Am I supposed to be scared of the looney tunes? I do whatever the hell I want with my own family!”

With that, he grabbed Regina by the hair and yanked her down on the ground, causing her to let out a cry of pain. This was the biggest mistake he did that afternoon.

The items the girls have been holding- tubes of lotion and hair conditioner, stuffed animals, pillows and textbooks- started showering at Michael as they started throwing them at him with a unified battle cry. It would have been almost comical- though, admittedly, Regina needed some time to remember back on this incident with laughter. Right now, she rolled away from her father, out of the firing line of the objects that just kept coming.

Michael swore, protecting his face with his arms, but the throwing just never stopped. The girls were now around him, all but hitting him over the head with the heavier objects until he was on the ground.

He managed to find a loophole by grabbing Joan’s ankle and yanking her leg out from under her, making her stumble back and land on her butt. This made Freddie growl, and she fulfilled her promise, stabbing Michael with the scissor right in the ass. The scissor wasn’t sharp, so she couldn’t cause him a serious injury, but it was enough for him to scream in pain, flailing around with his arm. He managed to grab Freddie’s hair and yank on it, throwing her down on the ground- but just as he raised his fist, someone kicked him in the back with full force, making him cry out and let go of Freddie immediately.

’’I know.” Joan growled, kicking him again when he was down. ’’Being kicked in the spine hurts like a bitch.”

Michael howled, rolling away from the next kick successfully. He scrambled onto his feet, growling at the girls. He looked like a true mess with his hair tussled, his foreahead still bleeding and his pants torn from where the scissor went through them.

’’You little bitches just made a huge mistake.” He growled. He flung at them with his fist, but Jenny and Brianna were quicker: Brianna punched her in the gut the same time Jenny punched him square in the face, and Michael spluttered, coughing.

’’Go to your room!” Brianna yelled at the shocked Regina. ’’Come on, we got this!”

Regina was torn between moving and staying to help her friends, but Jenny gave her a gentle shove. ’’Come on, call your Mum!”

Just as Regina finally moved, Michael snapped out of his stupor caused by the aggressive Brianna-Jenny duo, and he surged after his daughter- he didn’t get very far as Etta tripped him, making him stumble and knock into the wall.

’’No, stay right where you are!” Etta growled, which angered Michael to no end. He flung at her, but then Crystal delivered an elegant kick, right into his balls, and Michael fell onto his knees with a whine.

’’You…little…” Michael cried, cradling his abused crotch. Just when he was about to grab one of them, Phoebe- who sprinted out to the kitchen and then back just mere seconds prior without Michael noticing it- hit him over the head with a pan as hard as possible, knocking him out cold.

Regina stopped dead in her tracks, looking down at her father who was lying on the floor face down, before back at her still angrily snarling friends. What the hell just happened here?

’’Do you have a rope or something?” Crystal asked, making her snap out of her stupor. 

’’Uhm…I have a jumping rope that I use for working out, but…why do you need that?”

Crystal didn’t answer, just sprinted up to Regina’s room to retrieve it. Regina watched with her mouth hanging open as Crystal and Etta tied Michael’s hands and legs together.

’’Call your Mum.” Brianna reminded her, pressing a chaste kiss onto her forehead. ’’We will handle him.”

Regina nodded, running off for her phone, so she couldn’t see the rest of this surreal episode, as Jenny and Joan hauled Michael up and carried him into the bedroom, throwing him inside the closet.

Phoebe quickly pulled a chair up to lean it against the closet’s door, just in case Michael was about to break free.

’’I’m calling the police. He is not getting away with this anymore.” Freddie announced, reaching for her phone to dial the number.

’’We are all witnesses. We can prove he hurt Regina.” Joan added, and the rest of the girls all nodded.

’’And we’re gonna tell them everything we know.” Etta said. ’’About the past intances.”

’’I’m pretty sure Regina and Winifred will be okay confessing now.” Crystal sighed, wiping some sweat off her forehead. ’’They won’t let him get away, he can’t hurt them anymore.”

’’Won’t we get in trouble for beating him up?” Phoebe asked, finally putting down the pan that she still haven’t released. Jenny tutted, pressing a comforting kiss onto her cheek.

’’No, it was self-defence. We’re gonna be fine.”

They listened to Freddie telling what happened to the police over the phone while Brianna trodded up the stairs to find Regina.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, phone in her hand, and her face pale. She gasped when Brianna wrapped her arms around her, but she immediately relaxed when she realized who it was.

’’Did you talk to your Mum?” Brianna asked, kissing Regina’s head.

’’Yeah.” Regina breathed, burrowing deeper into Brianna’s arms.

’’She’s coming home soon.”

'’Freddie called the police.” Brianna said, tightening her arms around Regina protectively.

’’They will be here soon. It’s over, Regina. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Tears of relief started streaming down Regina’s face, and she hid in Brianna’s neck, enveloped in the safety of her girlfriend’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brianna May threw the first body lotion at Stonewall.


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winifred meets Brianna officially.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so we have solved a lot of issues in this fic: the girls' initial rivalry, the Michael case- though there will be a chapter about the trial, so be prepared for that-, and Joan's and Freddie's insecurities concerning their relationship. I still have some drama in my pocket for you for future chapters, but admittedly, the tone of this fic will change a lot and be a lot more fluffy once we are done with the few chapters of future drama, mostly just snippets of cheesy high school stuff (i have a lot of scene ideas in my head that I want to twist into actual chapters). Would that be okay with you, darlings?

It was strange to be back again, but definitely in a good way. This was the third time Brianna has came over to the Taylor household, and this would be the first time she would meet Regina’s Mum officially, and not just running past her in the hallway, or give her a timid nod in greeting while she had to deal with her husband being taken away by the police.

A week has passed since Michael Taylor was arrested, and it felt like a huge weight has been lifted off everyone’s shoulders. Regina was still in a little bit of shock, which was not that big of a surprise, considering she finally managed to get rid of her abusive father, but not only after she watched her best friends and her girlfriend practically beat him up. How glorious that was, Brianna thought giddily as she texted Regina that she has arrived.

Things were much more cleaner after the police and Winifred arrived: they arrested Michael, and then called all of them in for questioning, to make sure everyone’s stories were straight and lined up with each other. After them, the witnesses were done, they questioned Winifred and Regina too, about everything Michael has done to them. Crystal was right when she said they will probably be more comfortable now that they weren’t in imminent danger of Michael’s wrath anymore, and so they confessed all the things Michael has done, from the emotional abuse to the physical.

And now they had some time to breathe until Michael’s trial started.

Brianna was surprised to find out that Regina wanted to use this time to introduce her to her family –’’I mean, the ones I can actually consider family”, as Regina said-, though to be honest, she kind of saw it coming.

They haven’t made their relationship public yet, but Brianna still felt that they were even stronger than before. If anything, Michael getting out of the picture- or hopefully out of the picture: Brianna really didn’t want to think about the possibility of Michael getting away with this-, just brought them closer together.

That didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous as she waited for Regina to open the door for her. Winifred seemed like a nice woman from what Brianna could tell, but that didn’t necessarily mean she would be fond of Brianna. One can never know, right? And she has never even met Clark, and she knew the bond between him and Regina was pretty strong, what if he won’t like her?

Now here she was, overthinking things again. She took a deep breath, shaking her head to clear them from her self-depricating thoughts. They won’t hate her- why would they? Well, the other part of Brianna’s brain chimed in, you used to be an asshole to Regina, and you’re also an awkward nerd. Shit. Why the hell was she more nervous about officially meeting Winifred and Clark, than when she stood face to face with Michael Taylor?

The door opened, revealing an utterly beaming Regina, and Brianna’s heart soared. She could swear she has never seen Regina as beautiful as she has been since Michael has been arrested: she was absolutely glowing, that constant, underlying worry in her eyes eased up, her whole being was much more relaxed and calmer than before.

’’You came.” Regina stated softly, standing on the tips of her toes to plant a kiss onto Brianna’s lips. The taller girl chuckled softly, resting her hands on Regina’s hips.

’’Why wouldn’t I come?”

’’Well…” Regina snickered, bopping her on the nose gently, ’’you tend to overthink things. And I wouldn’t put it past you to chicken out.”

’’Me? Overthinking things? What are you even talking about?” Brianna teased, and Regina giggled, kissing her on the cheek again. She pulled back, blinking up at Brianna with a small frown.

’’You didn’t bring my Mum flowers?”

Brianna felt her heart drop. Fuck. She was even contemplating it, constantly second guessing if that was too much or not. She turned to Joan for help, who said it’s up to her, she brought Jer flowers when she was introduced to the Bulsaras, but Brianna is free to decide on her own, so basically, she wasn’t much help. Then Ruth said she totally should, because it was a cute gesture. Then Harold said it was an outdated thing, and also heteronormative, so screw the flowers. And that is how Brianna ended up not bringing anything, due to the fact she completely stressed herself out from the thousand different opinions that have been thrown at her.

Regina saw her terrified expression, and she laughed, kissing Brianna again.

’’I’m just messing with you, you idiot. Who cares about the flowers?”

Brianna groaned, playfully pinching Regina’s butt, making her squeal.

’’You are still a very, very mean girl.” Brianna joked, and Regina snorted, lightly swatting at her hand.

’’And you are still an anxious, nerdy mess. Come on, my Mum is in the kitchen with Clark.”

Brianna nodded, forcing a smile onto her face. She hoped she didn’t look as terrified as she felt, but she probably did, because Regina gave her hand one last encouraging squeeze before she led her into the kitchen.

Winifred heard them coming in, and she turned around, giving Brianna a soft smile. Now that Brianna could finally take a better look at her, she could see the striking similarities between her and Regina, and it made her heart soar. They were both short, with blond hair and blue eyes, both of them having rounder cheeks and a slightly lopsided smile. They couldn’t have denied they were related, even if they wanted to.

’’So, Mum.” Regina said softly, gesturing towards Brianna, ’’this is my girlfriend, Brianna. Well, you have seen her a few times, but…not quite officially.”

Winifred chuckled, taking a step closer to Brianna. Brianna extended her hand for a handshake, and Winifred shook it gently, giving her hand a soft squeeze.

’’It’s so great to actually meet you, Brianna.” Winifred said, sending her such a warm smile that Brianna couldn’t help but relax. Winifred was easily the least intimidating person she has ever met, especially with her little pink apron.

’’I second that.” Someone said, and Brianna turned around to spot Clark, who was grinning from ear to ear. Now, the similarities between him and Regina were just absurd: Brianna was convinced that this is exactly how Regina would look like as a boy.

’’Hello, there.” Brianna said, with a little bit more confidence, sending both Clark and Winifred a smile. ’’I’ts great to finally meet you.”

’’Well, anyone who is badass enough to knock my father out with a body lotion deserves my trust.” Clark laughed, his eyes sparkling in a very similar way like Regina’s always did when she was happy. 

’’Technically, I didn’t knock him out.” Brianna said, blushing softly. ’’That was Phoebe.”

’’But you threw the first stuff.” Clark insisted. ’’So, that’s great, seriously.”

Brianna blushed deeper, and Regina gave her hand a little squeeze, smiling up at her. Brianna could feel most of the tension draining out of her at the warm welcome. This little family was so kind and perfect. Michael never deserved such an amazing wife like Winifred, and he sure as hell didn’t deserve such great kids as Regina and Clark.

’’I heard you are a vegetarian.” Winifred said, placing a gentle hand on the small of Brianna’s back, leading her to the table.

’’So I made some pasta salad.”

’’That’s great.” Brianna smiled, taking her seat next to Regina. Winifred served her a generous amount, smiling all the way. It was insane how strong this woman was, Brianna thought as she watched her. She was in an abusive marriage for years, her husband just got arrested, and god knows what was about to happen at that trial, and yet, she was smiling, inviting her daughter’s girlfriend over for lunch. Brianna thought she would be a little bit more bitter, or at least more wary around people, but she was nothing but warm and kind.

Then she looked at Regina, and her heart fluttered. This girl has come such a long way after all that happened to her. Initially, she was a miniature version of her own father, not having too great of an example of how to treat other people. She was bitter, insecure and hurt, and she lashed out at other people to mask her pain. But she grew from it, learned from her mistakes and became the person that Brianna has learned to love deeply.

Regina noticed she was staring, and she sent her a confused little look, but Brianna just smiled, gently squeezing her knee under the table. She decided that whatever will happen at that trial, that whatever will happen to Regina in general, she would always be there for her and protect her in any way she can.

Lunch was spent with comfortable chatting, with Winifred and Clark asking a few questions about Brianna, which she happily answered. She fit into this little family picture so well, it made her feel like she was floating. Who would have thought just a few months ago, that she would be sitting next to Regina Taylor, eating lunch with her mother and her brother, getting to know them? Who would have thought she and Regina would be in love? It was crazy how things have changed, but Brianna certainly wasn’t complaining.

Clark excused himself after lunch to go up to his room to study, and Brianna offered Winifred to help with the dishes. 

’’That would be really lovely, thank you.” Winifred said softly. She looked at Regina, narrowing her eyes slightly.

’’I might need to speak to Brianna alone, if you don’t mind.”

Brianna felt her stomach twist. Maybe she misjudged this good mood here, and Winifred didn’t like her as much as she thought? Or will she receive some kind of shovel talk, where Winifred will threaten to cut her tits off if she ever hurt Regina?

Regina gave a suspicious look to her mother, but she nodded, smiling at Brianna before she left them.

Brianna swallowed thickly as Winifred turned back to her, but she tried not to show her fright too much.

’’I want to thank you.” Winifred said softly, and Brianna immediately deflated. So, she won’t be getting murdered, probably.

’’For two things.” Winifred continued, a small smile tugging at her lips. ’’One, and that is the biggest thing, for loving my daughter. She changed a lot since you two became close. She is not so angry and scared anymore. I’m aware she didn’t really branch outside of her little group, and that sometimes she was a little…mean, to other kids. But she is different now, and that is because of you.”

Brianna blushed, ducking her head shyly. ’’I’m not sure it’s because of me…”

’’It is.” Winifred stated, her smile growing wider. ’’You came along, and you changed her perspective on things. And that is really, really great.”

Brianna smiled, feeling a comfortable, warm feeling settling inside her chest at Winifred’s words.

’’And the other thing,” Winifred continued, ’’Clark sounded funny when he brought up that body lotion thing, but Brianna, it trully means a lot. We…we were afraid of him. We didn’t dare do anything against him.”

Her cheeks turned a little pink, and her voice became a lot more quiet, as if she was feeling guilty over it.

’’And if you and the other girls didn’t start your own little Mission Impossible, we would still be stuck in one place, unable to do anything. So, thank you, for protecting my daughter, and helping us get rid of him.”

Her eyes were a little teary, and Brianna couldn’t resist gently taking her hands into hers.

’’I promise you,” Brianna said softly, ’’I will always keep her safe. And I will be there for her, no matter what.”

Winifred smiled, wiping at her eyes. ’’I’m sure of that. Brianna?”

’’Yes?” Brianna asked softly, and Winifred gave a soft little laugh.

’’Would it be weird if I hugged you?”

Brianna laughed, feeling her heart swell with happiness. ’’No, it wouldn’t be weird at all.”

Winifred giggled, pulling her into a warm hug, and Brianna was unable to hold back a happy sigh.

She did say that things were on track, and right now, they finally really were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, Winifred. I really, really love this woman.


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just Freddie and Joan dancing and being cute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was in a really fluffy mood, so this is what you guys get! :D

Freddie lolled her head back, wincing a little as her neck gave a cracking sound in protest. Luckily, she didn’t get injured during the fight with Michael, but she was thrown onto the ground pretty violently, and her muscles ached a little ever since. She still couldn’t believe she stabbed someone- okay, yes, it was a dull scissor, but still. She just… went and flung it into someone’s asscheek. She never considered herself a violent person, but in that moment, she just had to do something. Poor Regina was absolutely terrified, and Freddie would have never forgiven herself if she just let her get hurt by her father. And Brianna took on the leading role pretty damn well: even the dead would have raised to join her army as she stood on the top of the stairs, snarling and waving a tub of body lotion triumphantly.

Now it seemed like things were sort of back to normal: Michael was kind of out of the picture, things were going great with her and Joan- what else could she wish for?

Well, right now, she really wished she could do justice to Juliet’s character. It was a very big thing: practically everyone knew and loved Romeo and Juliet, be it a screenplay, a movie or a ballet adaptation, and Freddie felt a huge weight pressing down on her shoulders at the thought that she will have such a well-known leading role. And so far, every Juliet has been a white blonde girl- but this time, it was Freddie who got the role. It was a pretty freaking big deal, and Freddie desperately wanted to prove her teachers that they made the right choice.

She stretched her arms above her head, feeling every single muscle and joint come to life. That dull ache from being thrown on the floor dissipated to be replaced by that comfortable, gentle one that she always felt during warm up sessions, when she stretched and bent herself into crazy positions, until it felt like all the bones in her body turned liquid.

She descended back down onto the floor, stretching out her legs and leaning forward until her forehead touched her knee, letting her back get used to being overwhelmed once again. She grabbed her ankles and folded herself even more, sighing as her muscles pulled and stretched, bending to her will.

’’That looks a little painful.”

Freddie leaned back slowly, not wanting to pull anything too hard as she straightened her back, looking towards the source of the voice. She grinned when she spotted Joan, leaning against the doorframe with an awed expression on her face.

’’It’s not so painful anymore.” Freddie said softly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

’’You get used to it over time.”

’’You never made me stretch like that.” Joan said, shrugging off her backpack and placing it on the floor before walking over to Freddie. She sat next to her on the floor, leaning in for a greeting kiss.

’’No, that would have killed your back.” Freddie chuckled softly. ’’I went easy on you.”

’’My body said otherwise.” Joan laughed, pulling Freddie into her lap. ’’I always felt like my muscles were on fire after we were done with our lessons.”

Freddie giggled, wrapping her arms around Joan’s neck and pressing another chaste kiss onto her lips. ’’Well, I told you, my darling: ballet moves…”

’’…every single muscle in your body.” Joan finished it for her, smiling. ’’I remember. I used to think I would lose my muscle mass, but everything is just fine.”

’’Oh, it is.” Freddie purred, stroking a hand down Joan’s bicep, giving it a little squeeze. ’’Your muscle mass is just fine, darling.”

Joan grinned, placing her hands on Freddie’s waist, rubbing the skin with her thumbs lovingly. ’’You were so pleased to help me, huh?”

Freddie blushed softly, but she couldn’t help a little laugh from leaving her lips. ’’Of course I was. You know I have been into you quite a while before that.”

’’It’s still so unbelievable.” Joan sighed happily, gently taking Freddie’s hand into hers before lifting it up to her lips, kissing her knuckles softly. ’’You fell for me, of all people.”

’’And you fell for me.” Freddie reminded her softly, pressing their foreheads together. ’’Even though you didn’t have a very high opinion of me, initially.”

Joan blushed in embarrassment, biting her lip. ’’I was such an idiot. I used to think you were stupid, and easy.”

’’And I used to think you were a lame idiot who always hid behind her mother’s skirt.” Freddie laughed, gently bopping Joan on the nose. ’’How things have changed, huh?”

’’They definitely did.” Joan grinned. ’’I fell in love with you. And I grew fond of your little Clique.”

’’Which you are a part of now.” Freddie said, giving Joan a soft smile. ’’You and Brianna. No more fights, no more bullying. We all belong together.”

’’Oh, careful with that.” Joan chuckled playfully, lightly tickling Freddie’s side until she giggled. ’’I don’t want to take part in an orgy.”

’’Very funny.” Freddie snickered, sticking her tongue out at Joan playfully. Joan just laughed, resting her cheek against Freddie’s chest, burrowing into her warmth.

They sat there for a while in comfortable silence, with Joan resting on Freddie’s breasts while she gently played with her hair. It truly felt amazing: maybe after all that chaos, snarling at each other for years, then having so many insecurities and fears, they were finally on the right track. Not just her and Joan as a couple: everyone was. Freddie was always a true optimist, and she had no doubts Michael will be done with at the trial. There was no way he could get away with this. And that would mean Regina and her family could finally breathe again, Regina and Brianna could make their relationship completely public, and everything would be great again.

She glanced to the side, and she smiled as she caught glimpse of themselves in the mirror. Joan was huffing and growling all the way during their very first lesson, avoiding Freddie’s eyes when she tried to help her, and barking at her when she talked too much, when she was being too kind. And now? Now she was sitting on Joan’s lap, who was almost purring, her strong arms wrapped around her waist, and her cheeks smushed against her boobs. They really have come a long way.

’’How’s your back?” Freddie asked, causing Joan to give a soft huff, clearly almost having fallen asleep on Freddie’s soft chest.

’’Mhm. Good.” Joan replied, burrowing back into Freddie’s warmth. ’’Your boobs make a fantastic pillow.”

Freddie laughed, lightly swatting at her head. ’’You are using me, Joan Deacon. I’m being turned into a human pillow against my will.”

’’Against your will, my ass.” Joan snorted, pressing a kiss onto Freddie’s collarbone. ’’I know you love it.”

’’I do.” Freddie giggled. She gently pulled Joan’s face away from her chest, cupping her cheeks.

’’Wanna dance with me?” She asked, and Joan blinked in surprise.

’’For real?”

’’For real.” Freddie laughed softly, already slipping off Joan’s lap, much to the latter’s sorrow.

’’I need to practice some more, and it’s easier with a partner.”

’’I can’t dance, you know that.” Joan laughed, but she heaved herself up onto her feet all the same. ’’And I have no idea what Romeo does.”

’’Oh, you don’t have to do much in this scene.” Freddie said, giving her an encouraging little smile. ’’Juliet is dancing for Romeo here.”

’’Oh.” Joan hummed, grinning. ’’So, I’m watching you?”

’’Pretty much.” Freddie said, suddenly feeling a little shy. She has never put on a show for Joan like this before: hell, she didn’t really give private ballet performances in general.

’’You would just have to lift me in the end and twirl me around once I reach you, and then you would dip me low and kiss me.” Freddie explained, blushing as Joan’s eyes lit up. ’’You don’t have to lift me, of course. You don’t have to do anything, if you don’t want to, just…”

’’Freddie, it’s okay.” Joan laughed softly. ’’Just dance for me, beautiful.”

Freddie felt her chest fill with warmth at the nickname, and she blew Joan a kiss before pulling herself up into an elegant arabesque.

She felt Joan’s eyes on her all the while, but it wasn’t as frustrating as she thought it would be: sure, it made her feel a little bit shy, but it was a nice feeling as well at the same time. She could catch glimpses of Joan’s adoring looks when she twirled, and she couldn’t help but smile. Ballet always made her feel truly beautiful: when she was a little girl, she always thought you had to be a fairy to be a ballet dancer. Now, she was one of those fairies too, charming and taking breaths away with a kick of her leg, making people gasp in awe when she bent and folded herself, when she used her body as an instrument to play on.

She gasped as she felt Joan’s warm hands on her hips, and her breath tickling the back of her neck.

’’You don’t have to, yet.” Freddie said softly, but Joan shook her head, pulling Freddie back against her chest until she was practically laying down, before gently pushing her back again, putting Freddie back into second arabesque.

’’But I want to.” Joan said softly. She pulled Freddie back, twirling her around twice in quick succession, and Freddie’s heart soared. It was so amazing, to know that Joan was interested in her hobbies and dreams enough to come and dance with her, even though she initially hated the whole ballet business. And well, she didn’t do much than standing in one place and twirling Freddie around, but that was enough for her to swoon.

’’There’s a scene with Romeo, where I do this.” Freddie whispered, grabbing the back of Joan’s head, while lifting her leg and wrapping it around Joan’s waist, pushing their bodies flush togethed. Joan hummed appreciatively, grabbing Freddie’s thigh to keep it in place.

’’That’s very nice.” She said. She grabbed Freddie’s other leg, hooking it around her waist and Freddie squealed, clutching onto her shoulders.

’’Joan!” She laughed, ’’it’s not Dirty Dancing!”

’’Too bad.” Joan grinned, and with that, she twirled Freddie around again, grinning up at her. Freddie was feeling dizzy, but not just from the movement: she was so full of love for this girl, she could seriously burst with it.

Joan finally put her back, and Freddie did a fouette spin before slumping into Joan’s arms, who held her up easily.

’’Oh, my Romeo.” Freddie whispered playfully, and Joan grinned, pressing their lips together as she dipped Freddie low, keeping her up and steady with a hand on the small of her back.

’’Shit, I forgot the lift.” Joan groaned as she pulled Freddie back, but Freddie just laughed.

’’Don’t worry about it. This was pretty great already.”

Joan smiled, pulling her closer, resting her hands on Freddie’s hips while she wrapped her arms around her neck, pressing their foreheads together.

’’I love you.” Joan said softly, and Freddie sighed happily, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss her, and she could swear this kiss tasted even sweeter than usual; she could practically taste a new kind of love, a new kind of happiness on Joan’s lips, and it made her heart flutter.

She pulled back, smiling up at her girlfriend, no doubt with stars in her eyes, the same stars she saw in Joan’s eyes too.

’’I love you too.”


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael's case goes to trial.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a pretty long chapter, so buckle up!

Regina was so nervous, she was pretty sure she would end up vomiting in the courtroom. Everyone kept telling her that there was no way her father would get away with what he did to them, that there were too many witnesses, that the police saw the marks on her arm and Freddie’s bruises from the day they got into the fight with Michael, that the laws were much stricter now, that everyone would believe them over someone who was reeking from alcohol and tried resisting police arrest- but there was that ugly little thought at the back of her head, the what ifs. What if Michael’s attorney would be so much better than theirs? What if the jury finds him more trustworthy? That didn’t sound too likely, but what if?

Winifred tried to pretend she was strong, but Regina could see she was anxious as hell too. Her hands were shaking slightly, and quickly growing damp with nervous sweat as she held onto Regina and Clark. Out of all of them, Clark seemed the calmest- he seemed to take on the duty of the ’’head of the family” now that Michael wasn’t around. Regina couldn’t believe how well her fourteen years old brother took the whole scenario; he was as protective around his mother and big sister as he could be.

They met their own attorney, David Rice outside of the Court. Rice was a surprisingly cheerful fellow for a lawyer, short and chubby with a kind smile, and he immediately made Regina feel more at ease.

’’The case is pretty clear and simple.” He said after he greeted them, sending the whole family an encouraging little smile. ’’Cases were the domestic abuse is so evident don’t stretch on too long. Don’t get your hopes up, but there is a chance that this whole mess will be done today. There is a chance that the jury won’t be able to decide, and then the hearing will be dismissed, but I think our case is pretty strong.”

Winifred gave a soft sigh before nodding, forcing a smile onto her face. Regina squeezed her hand tighter, trying to soothe the nerves of the both of them. She could only imagine what her mother must be going through right now: she was the one who was the most directly attacked by Michael at first, and who knows how many horrible things she had to go through behind closed doors, trying to protect her own kids from her husband.

’’Hey.”

Regina turned around, feeling her chest filling up with warmth as she met Brianna’s eyes. Her girlfriend gave her a soft smile before pulling her into a hug, squeezing her tight.

’’It’s gonna be okay.” Brianna promised, stroking a comforting hand up and down Regina’s back, making her relax into her arms slightly. God, she really wished it would be. She had no idea how she would be able to handle it if her father got away with this scot free. What he would do to his family and his daughter’s friends was probably something absolutely unspeakable, and Regina didn’t even want to think about it for too long, in case she would get another panic attack.

Ruth and Harold May were talking to Winifred, and Regina couldn’t help but smile when Ruth pulled Winifred into a friendly hug. She couldn’t wait for these family gatherings to become more calm and peaceful.

Her smile widened as she spotted her friends walking towards them, all of them wearing encouraging smiles.

’’He will be put behind bars, I know it.” Freddie said, clutching onto Joan’s hands. ’’There’s no way in hell he won’t.”

’’I think I saw the judge.” Phoebe said, nodding towards the building. ’’It’s a woman, and she looks really kind. I couldn’t imagine her letting the bastard go free.”

’’But there’s a jury.” Regina chimed in with a sigh. ’’What if they wouldn’t believe me?”

’’There’s too much evidence.” Crystal said. ’’They took photos of the marks on your arm, and Freddie’s bruises. They know he is violent.”

’’And too many witnesses.” Etta added, sticking her chin up in such a determined way, it made Regina smile. ’’We all saw what he did. And there’s your mother, and your brother.”

Regina sighed, closing her eyes. It all sounded so amazing, so easy… maybe it was too good to be true. What if they will think that they are lying? That they are making false accusations against Michael?

’’God, I need a hug. From all of you.” Regina breathed, and her friends immediately pulled her into a group hug. She got a little kiss from Brianna to her cheek, and she couldn’t help but smile.

They heard someone clearing their throat, and they all pulled away from each other. Rice gave them a polite little nod, before addressing Regina.

’’We should go inside.”

Regina nodded, looking over her friends one last time before she joined her Mum and Clark. Her heart was pounding so hard, she was sure it would burst out of her chest.

She couldn’t help but take a glance at the jury: she didn’t know what or who she was looking for, but she needed her own little reassurance that they will be on their side. Most of the jury members were around Winifred’s age, men and woman alike, but Regina saw two younger girls as well. At this point, Regina would be alright with Eeyore sitting there if he would support her. That was all she needed- people believing them and helping them get rid of this monster of a person who has been poisoning their lives for years.

She turned around in her seat, looking for her friends: they were all sitting together, huddled close, and it warmed Regina’s heart despite her nerves. Joan had an arm around Freddie, murmuring something into her ears; Phoebe and Jenny were also talking quietly, occassionally turning to Brianna and pulling her into the conversation too, while Crystal and Etta clutched onto each other’s hands, looking like they were praying. They were all there, together, supporting her unconditionally. They literally risked their safety by throwing themselves at Michael on that day, protecting her with every single object that they could get their hands on. The thought that Freddie stabbed him in the ass with a scissor will always be funny to her, Regina was sure about that, as well as the glorious moment when Brianna threw that body lotion that started the whole thing. And Phoebe delivering the last blow, screaming and knocking him out with a pan like a wild amazon was also a really remarkable moment. These girls all stuck together, joining forces to keep her safe, and they were here now too, ready to tell everyone about what they saw.

The judge really seemed like a kind woman, just as Phoebe said: Regina couldn’t help but notice her sending her and her Mum a quick smile before taking her place. Maybe it will go well after all. Or not. Her brain kept screaming at her, creating different scenarios where this could all go terribly wrong, and Regina had to take several breaths to calm herself before she would pass out.

She drew in a sharp breath when her father appeared, feeling her heart skip a few beats. He was in handcuffs, and his eyes were glowing dangerously. He looked like a real criminal. But then again, he was.

Their eyes met for a second, and Regina felt the blood turn icy in her veins. Her father looked at her with such hatred in his eyes, like she was the one who hurt him for years, like she was the monster, and not him. But it wasn’t true. He was an abuser, he kept them in fear, he hit her Mum, he physically assaulted her and her brother too. He was the only monster here.

’’All rise! The court is now in session.”

Regina rose up on shaky legs, trying her best not to pass out right there. It’s gonna be okay, she kept telling herself. It had to be okay.

She listened as the judge listed Michael’s crimes: domestic abuse, physical assault, physical assault against multiple minors, emotional and psychological abuse, constant threats of violence, endangering of minors on multiple occassions. That sounded about right, and Regina glanced towards the jury again. Please, please, please, she kept repeating inside, you cannot forgive this man.

’’I would like to listen to the victims at first.” The judge said, and Winifred drew in a sharp breath. Rice whispered something to her before she stood, making her way towards the lectern.

Winifred answered all questions, her cheeks red and her eyes glassy, but she kept herself steady. She avoided her husband’s eyes, and that was a good thing: Regina growled when she noticed how much Michael kept snarling at his wife.

Regina had a bad feeling when Michael’s attorney, Dworley stood, eyeing Winifred almost suspiciously. ’’I would like to ask a few questions, if you don’t mind.” His voice had a tone that made the fine hairs on Regina’s arms stand on end, and she swallowed thickly.

’’You said that the first time he hit you, you didn’t report it to the police.” Dworley mused, and Regina could swear he was almost smirking. ’’Why?”

’’I was scared about what he would do.” Winifred said, her voice a little shaky. ’’He threatened to kill me after I told him I want a divorce. I couldn’t have possibly known what he was going to do to us.”

’’Was that empty threat enough for you?” Dworley asked, crossing his arms across his chest. ’’He was emotionally very highly strung. I found your claims that he would attack you unfounded, considering a verbal threat doesn’t necessarily mean real abuse to come.”

’’Objection!” Rice said, standing up. ’’Don’t try to diminish my client’s struggles by calling those an ’’empty threat”.”

’’Accepted.” The judge said, and Regina breathed a huge sigh of relief. The judge turned towards Dworley, giving him a glare. 

’’I don’t like your phrasing of real abuse. Verbal abuse is abuse too.”

Regina could seriously grin. That was amazing, keep going, she kept repeating inside. Dworley clearly expected his reasoning behind Winifred not turning to the police being evidence that she made the accusations up would be a score, and he was now clearly caught off-guard. Good.

Regina came next, and now she was sure she would pass out eventually. Her ears were buzzing, her heart was pounding, and she felt like she was freezing down to her core. She followed Winifred’s example and avoided looking at her father, but she could still feel his eyes practically burning holes into her.

She was asked to tell everything she experienced, too. She glanced towards her friends, and she could see them all smiling encouragingly. Brianna’s eyes were full of love, and Regina felt some of the tension inside her dissipate.

’’He was always manipulating.” Regina started, staring down at her hands. She didn’t particularly like remembering those moments, but if she wanted her father out of their lives, she had to.

’’He told me that the only way to get somewhere in life, is to step over other people. He told me that if he shouts at me or my Mum or my brother, that is a good thing, because this is how we experience what the real life is like. That it would make us stronger.”

She swallowed thickly, feeling her throat seizing up. The judge hummed softly. 

’’What do you think? Did that make you stronger?”

’’No.” Regina replied. ’’It made me weak. It made us all weak. We were scared of him.”

’’Did he ever threaten you, in any way?”

’’Yes.” Regina said, feeling a shiver running down her spine at the memories. ’’Vague threats, mostly. That if I don’t do what he says, there will be consequences. He once threatened me that he would throw me out the window. I was ten years old at that time. And he once said he would kill my friends, because he didn’t like it that I spend a lot of time with them.”

She could hear a quiet roar from the crowd and the jury alike. Her friends all shared looks, and she could see Ruth and Harold tense up too.

’’Physically, he assaulted me two times. Once, he shoved me down onto the floor because I got home late. And the last time, on the day he was arrested, he yanked me around by my hair and my arm.”

Dworley wanted to question her too. Regina didn’t like the man at all, he seemed like a real sleaze, but she promised herself she would stay strong. She had to be strong.

’’On that day, when you and your friends attacked him, were you aware that he was under the influence of alcohol?”

’’We didn’t attack him.” Regina replied, trying to keep her voice calm. Rice advised them not to shout, no matter how upset they got, because they could easily influence the jury in a negative way. Bullshit, Regina thought- but she wouldn’t ruin their chances of getting justice by freaking out.

’’He attacked me first. They tried to protect me.”

’’And don’t you think the force of the defense was irrational? He was stabbed, hit with fists in the jaw and abdomen, kicked in the spine and the groin, and then hit with a heavy object, causing him to become unconscious. In my book, this is not self-defense anymore, this is heavy physical assault, committed in a group effort.”

Regina felt her heart seize up. This is what Phoebe and Freddie were so worried about. That they might get in trouble for this. God, Regina thought, will the be her demise? Will people think that they were the real abusers here?

Rice asked to speak, and the judge nodded. ’’The law might say that the self-defense has to be proportional to the force of the attack, but the precedent says otherwise. I would like to bring attention to the fact that the defendant grabbed his daughter’s arm so violently, he left marks that only disappeared days later. He directly threatened her with physical violence, and so the girls were absolutely right to think that their friend was in imminent danger. They also knew about Michael Taylor’s history with violence towards his family, so their fear that Regina would get hurt was not unfounded at all. And please, notice that the dramatic measures- such as the scissors, the kicks, and the hits and the frying pans only happened after he reacted violently. The girls were not only defending Regina, but themselves. And they might have been a group, by Michael Taylor is physically much stronger than all of them combined, so I wouldn’t give too much credit to the fact that they ’’committed” it in a group effort. Lastly, they were all minors, who reacted in a very dangerous and stressful situation. You cannot expect them to act as maturely as a fully adult person in a moment like this. Oh, and Michael’s injuries all healed within eight days, so even if we would consider this physical assault- which, I don’t think is the right term here-, it can only be called mild.”

Dworley huffed, and the judge gave an almost appreciative little hum. Regina had the feeling that Rice might be underrated: everyone was looking at him like he was a fool, but he was clearly great at his job, while Dworley only tried to play onto the vulnerability of the victims. God, what a fitting pair they made with Michael.

’’Accepted.” The judge said, nodding at Regina.

’’Thank you, Miss Taylor. We would like to question Clark Taylor next, then the witnesses.”

Clark pretty much said the same thing as Regina and Winifred: that they had to swallow years of emotional and psychological abuse, then physical as well. Then, they questioned all of the girls. Dworley gave a really hard time to Freddie and Phoebe, who were considered the main culprits, considering their actions caused slightly more serious injuries, but Rice wouldn’t let him get away with it when he tried playing into the girls’ guilty conscience.

Their stories all aligned: they saw that Michael was violent towards Regina, so they helped her, and then Michael started throwing them around, and that was when the scissors and the frying pans came into the picture. No matter how Dworley tried to twist it, it was rightful self-defense.

Michael’s questioning went as about as expected: he vehemently denied ever laying a finger on his family- though the awful snarles he kept sending towards them kind of contradicted his statement of being a peaceful and loving father.

’’So, you’re claiming they are lying?” Rice checked, and Michael nodded, giving his family a glare.

’’Yes. They are just trying to throw me off, because they want my money.”

Rice hummed, tapping his fingers against his chin for a second before speaking again. ’’See, I’m not sure they would want that. From what I heard, Winifred Taylor is a contractor, and her relative income doesn’t exactly make it seem realistic for her to lie. Your income is not much higher than hers, we are not talking about such a major difference that your statement could be relevant.”

Michael huffed, narrowing his eyes. He was clearly unprepared, thinking that this would be enough of an explanation to make people believe him, but he was losing every ounce of support, and quickly.

’’I would like to bring up the fact that you were drunk during the incident with the girls, again.” Rice said, his lips twitching, just barely able to hold back a smile. 

’’Objection!” Dworley said. ’’My client cannot be sure what your intention is with that question.”

’’Then I’m asking you, if her Honour lets me.” Rice said, and the judge nodded.

’’In this case, being under the influence is something that makes your client’s case stronger, or weaker? Because if you ask me, attacking a bunch of girls who are minors, one of them being his own daughter, while being drunk is something that makes his crime even worse.”

Drowley replied something, but Regina wasn’t listening. She watched the jury’s reaction: they were frowning at Michael, shaking their heads and murmuring. They didn’t believe him. No one did.

The judge called a break, so the jury could decide, and Regina nearly collapsed on the corridor.

’’We are doing really well.” Rice promised. ’’His case is awfully weak. If the jury doesn’t find him guilty, they are incredibly stupid or bribed.”

’’He’s gonna be done for.” Brianna said, squeezing Regina’s hand gently. ’’You’re gonna be free.”

’’We all did well.” Jenny chimed in, gently patting her on the shoulder. ’’No matter what happens next, we all did our best.”

’’He really caught me off-guard with that claim that it wasn’t self-defence.” Freddie admitted shyly. ’’I wouldn’t be able to handle it, if it was my fault that he got away with it.”

’’He won’t.” Joan promised. ’’Look, I watched the judge, I watched the jury: they are believing you, Reg. He will end up in prison today.”

Regina sighed, reaching her arms out, and her friends all huddled around her, wrapping her up in a group hug. No matter what happens, they were there for her, Regina knew that. They would keep her safe.

The courtroom was so silent, that dropping a needle would have had the sound of an explosion when they were back to listen to what the jury decided.

Regina’s hands were ice cold and clammy in Winifred’s and Clark’s as they waited. Regina still couldn’t stop thinking about the alternatives, that maybe they didn’t believe them, that this whole nightmare would start all over again…

’’Has the jury reached a verdict?” The judge asked. A woman stood, nodding.

’’Yes, Your Honour.”

Regina held her breath. She remembered what Rice said: it was a very clear case. But was it clear because they all knew that Michael was guilty… or was it all clear because they were all convinced that he wasn’t?

’’In the case of Michael Taylor versus the Crown Court, we, the jury found the defendant…”

Regina’s heart stopped. Come on, come on, come on, come on…

’’…guilty of all charges, Your Honour.”

Winifred gasped, clamping a hand over her mouth to hold back her relieved sobs. Regina was frozen. Was this real? Did she hear this correctly?

There was a roar, satisfied murmurs and near cheers from some parts of the crowd, and the judge called order before she made her ruling: four years in prison, away from the people he constantly terrorized.

That was the end of it. They were all free.

Regina didn’t even know whom she was hugging in the end: everything was a blur as people kept telling her that she deserved this, that they deserved this, that the monster will be locked away now.

And after years of suffocating, Regina could finally breathe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go rot, motherfucker.


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brianna thought things were supposed to be okay now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I said that I still have some drama in my pockets for you...?

Sometimes, it honest to God felt like Brianna could taste the freedom that suddenly descended down upon them. Sure, people could argue that they have already been free up until this point- but Brianna knew the truth. They weren’t really, unabashedly free.

The shadow of Michael, of an abusive father was constantly looming over their heads, way before Brianna even realized what his existence meant to Regina and the rest of her family. So many things she used to think of Regina has been put in a much different light now: obviously, bullying was always to be condoned, and Brianna knew that too, she just rethought many things. Michael was the worst kind of influence on his daughter, holding her back in any way he could: he held her back, because she was living in constant fear, due to his abuse; he held her back, because she had a difficult time coming to terms with her sexuality, once again the residue of her father’s actions and homophobic comments; and he held her back, because now Brianna knew that initially, Regina is not a bad person at all, but thanks to Michael Taylor’s ’’care”, he managed to condition her and shape her to his own, disgusting image.

But all of that was gone now. Regina was really, truly free. Michael was done away with, he was in prison, and even if he were to be let out earlier because of impeccable behavior or guilt, or whatever bullshit the criminal law system conjured up, he would still be sitting there for quite a few years. There was no coming back to his hurt family any time soon.

It was as if a huge weight has been lifted off their shoulders: the ice already started cracking on that day when they all stood up to Michael and protected Regina from him (and call her arrogant all you want, but Brianna was actually pretty damn proud of hurling herself at that monster and protecting her girl), and it just kept melting and melting, and then the trial rolled around, enclosing with the most amazing result possible, and it melted into the tiniest little atoms. There was nothing to be scared of anymore.

This also meant that her and Regina could finally make their relationship public knowledge, Brianna thought giddily as she walked into the school building. She truly couldn’t wait to hold Regina’s hand in front of everybody, to kiss her and hold her close whenever she damn well pleased to do so. Sure, the Clique knew, and their families knew, so they didn’t have to hide in front of them, but it still wasn’t the same. Brianna wanted everyone to know that they belonged together now: she wanted to truly, fully, unabashedly say that Regina was hers now. She felt jealous of Joan and Freddie, who kept macking on each other, pretty much every single second of everyday, out in broad daylight for everyone to see; and if one syrupy, cheesy and overly romantic couple wasn’t enough, there was Jenny and Phoebe too, who has been together for a while now, and they were still acting like they were in their honeymoon phase. When that quartet started smooching on their respective partners in front of her, Brianna just wanted to grab Regina and kiss the hell out of her too. Which, she was able to do behind closed doors- but if Freddie climbed into Joan’s lap, and Jenny started kissing every single knuckle on Phoebe’s hand out in public, then Brianna could only watch with barely masked envy, feeling a little sour that she couldn’t do the same with Regina.

But now, she could. They were free, the shackle that held Regina back from being her true self was finally cut off her hands. Nothing was going to stop them now.

She was aware she was kind of walking with an extra sway to her steps as she practically marched through the corridor, looking for her girlfriend. She felt almost floaty with happiness, like she could fly away any second now.

Brianna grinned when she spotted Regina in her cheerleader getup, getting her water bottle from her locker to head for her morning practice- but before that, she would need to give a proper greeting to her girl, Brianna thought giddily as she reached her.

She grabbed Regina’s hips and spun her around, making her squeal in surprise. Brianna just grinned, leaning in to kiss her, but Regina gently pushed on her shoulders to keep her at a distance, leaning back to avoid their lips meeting. Brianna raised an eyebrow, glancing down at her girlfriend. What the hell was that?

’’You scared the shit out of me.” Regina chuckled, but there was a nervous tone in her voice that didn’t fail to catch Brianna’s attention.

’’Are you okay?” She asked, giving her a worried look. She seemed pretty much alright, but pulling back and away from Brianna wasn’t something that Brianna expected to experience today.

’’Oh, you didn’t scare me that much.” Regina joked, but it fell a little flat, and she could probably notice, because she ducked her head, biting her lip. Alright, something was definitely not okay.

’’Are you still worried?” Brianna asked, softening a little as she noticed the affronted look on Regina’s face. ’’Look, Reg, your father is in jail now. And if he would be released, you could just get a restraining order against him…”

’’It’s fine.” Regina said, waving a dismissive hand, but her shoulders were tense, and she kept glancing around, as if she expected someone to jump on them any minute. It was probably a traumatic response, Brianna thought, and her heart clenched. Maybe Regina didn’t feel quite as free as she did, because she has been trapped way too long for that. Getting rid of Michael was still a fresh experience, and it was likely Regina was still in a little bit of a shock over everything- even though her father was a horrible asshole, she still lost him, and that couldn’t have been easy to digest so quickly.

Brianna sighed, gently grabbing Regina to pull her into a comforting hug- and Regina pulled back once again, with a little bit more force this time. Now Brianna felt her heart aching for an entirely different reason.

’’What’s wrong?” Brianna tried, but Regina just shook her head, fiddling with something in her locker, despite already holding the essentials in her arms- she was likely just trying to avoid looking at Brianna, and Brianna would have lied if she said it didn’t hurt like hell.

’’Nothing’s wrong.” Regina said, her cheeks turning red. Brianna watched her for a while, inspecting her face from close: she seemed nervous, embarrassed. But what about, Brianna had no single idea.

’’Do you want to come over tonight?” Brianna tried, hoping to peak her interest a little bit- because for whatever reason, it seemed like Regina tried her best not to notice her girlfriend still standing next to her, and Brianna really, really tried not to let it get to her; but her own girlfriend was acting so weird around her, of course this didn’t exactly make her happy.

’’Yeah.” Regina replied, and Brianna was relieved to see a hint of a smile on her face. Maybe the issue wasn’t that huge, or connected to Brianna at all: maybe she was just having a bad day for some reason.

An idea suddenly flared up inside Brianna’s head- and she really thought it was a good idea. She would never have thought that Regina would react the way she ended up doing.

’’I was thinking,” Brianna started, ’’that now that we can be open about our relationship, we could join the club.”

She noticed when Regina tensed up as she said the part about making their love public, but she tried not to give it too much thought. Regina gave a soft huff, looking confused.

’’What club?”

’’The school’s LGBTQ club. It’s pretty new, they only have like, two members so far. But I was thinking about joining, and Joan and Freddie said they might too.”

Regina hummed, turning back to her locker to keep fiddling with nothing. ’’What for?” She asked, and her voice sounded almost bitter, like Brianna had just personally offended her with something. Seriously, what was going on with her today!?

’’Because… we are all gay, and in love, and happy!” Brianna laughed, but the cheer in her voice was very much forced. She had a really, really bad feeling about Regina’s strange behavior today, especially because it seemed like that she was the root cause behind her gloomy mood, and Brianna seriously couldn’t remember hurting her with anything.

Regina murmured something in response that Brianna couldn’t hear, before finally closing her locker. She still didn’t look Brianna in the eye, though.

’’You can join if you want.” Regina said, shifting on her feet awkwardly. ’’I won’t.”

’’Why?” Brianna asked, her voice coming out more high-pitched than she intended. When she saw the poster, her first thought was to invite Regina too: well, they were a couple, and Regina could finally be open about her sexuality as well as her relationship with Brianna, so Brianna couldn’t quite see the issue with joining a fun, supportive club, as well as doing what Regina promised they would, once Michael was out of the picture- coming out to the whole school.

Regina drew in a sharp breath, before snapping her head up, finally looking Brianna in the eye- but Brianna wished she didn’t, after all, because she seemed genuinely angry, so much in fact, that Brianna took a subconscious step back.

’’I don’t see the point.” Regina spat, crossing her arms across her chest. Brianna really, really hated to even think something like this, but she looked exactly like the mean bully she used to be, huffing and frowning and whining. Not a good look on her, it never was.

’’They are just sitting around talking about being gay. How fun.” Regina chuckled bitterly, sounding almost mocking, and Brianna felt her heart drop. 

’’You are gay too.” Brianna reminded her, crossing her arms as well. She knew from experience now, that if Regina was spitting poison, it was better to shield herself from it.

’’Keep your voice down.” Regina hissed, causing Brianna’s eyebrows to shoot up to her hairline.

’’What?”

Regina scoffed, shaking her head. Her facial expressions kept ping-ponging between angry and desperate, and Brianna was sure she has never felt so confused in her entire life before. Regina promised; she even seemed happy about the idea that she didn’t have to hide anymore, and now… now she was acting like the thought never even crossed her mind.

’’Just forget it, Brianna.” Regina huffed, hoisting her bag over her shoulder. ’’I need to head to practice.”

With that, she turned on her heels and marched away, faster than Brianna has ever seen her walk. Brianna just stood there, frozen on the spot. Her heart felt like someone just pushed a rusty nail straight into it, then gave it a nice push with a sledgehammer.

She thought fighting with Regina was a thing of the past, but it seemed like nothing was ever that simple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh. Are you ready for some angst?


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When insecurities clash, it usually ends up in a big storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... I guess it's not that big of a surprise after the last chapter, but we're going angsty now, folks.

The last time Regina heard Brianna shout, was when they were still in a giant beef with each other, during their very first lessons, when they preferred calling each other ’’asshole”, rather than their own, respective names. Also, when the fight with Michael happened, and Brianna screeched like a madwoman as she tackled him.

But shouting at Regina appeared to be a thing of the past, something that they could finally leave behind them, a product of them not really knowing each other and making assumptions based on their own insecurities. They hadn’t even fought after that: everything was going so well, Regina could barely believe it. She thought that they were going to be that couple, the one that never fought, the one that was sweet and peaceful, no storm clouds on the shiny horizont.

She was wrong.

Regina couldn’t stop thinking about Brianna’s hurt and disappointed face when she rejected her kiss on the corridor. It’s not like it hasn’t hurt her too, not being able to be as open and free as she thought she could be, but seeing her girlfriend looking at her like a kicked puppy was easily the worst thing she could have experienced today.

She truly didn’t want to hurt Brianna anymore, but she couldn’t help feeling scared. She thought, she really did, that with her father gone, everything is going to be so simple now. He was the main reason she was so scared, why she buried her own feelings so deep and for so long, why she couldn’t be the person that she really was.

Now, though, she couldn’t just let it go. She couldn’t open the window and breathe in the fresh breeze, stretch languidly like a dreamy Cinderella and say that she was ready. Because she wasn’t ready, god, not at all. The idea of walking down the corridor, holding another girl’s hand, making it known for literally everyone, that she wasn’t straight…

How did Freddie do it? Or Joan? Jenny? Phoebe? Etta? Even Brianna? How could they just let go of their fears, how could they walk around holding each other’s hand, happy and carefree? How could they not care about what other people thought? The hushed whispers? The slurs? The frowning teachers? The rumors? How could they handle all that without breaking? How could they be so brave, and why couldn’t she be the same?

Training wasn’t going too well that morning: all she could think about was Brianna, and those sad, disappointed eyes. She was the reason she was disappointed. It was her fault. She nearly tripped over her own feet, and she sighed deeply. She just wanted to tear her bloody pom-pom into pieces. Why was she such a damn coward?

’’Are you alright?” Crystal asked, hopping up next to her. Regina sighed, shaking her head. She was done lying: it was time to be honest with everyone, one step at a time.

’’I… I think I messed up.” Regina replied, wincing as her muscles protested when she stretched her leg. Her body had a habit of acting like a stubborn mule whenever her emotions were all over the place, as if to say ’’fix your bullshit first”.

’’What do you mean?” Etta asked, placing a warm hand on her back. ’’Talk to us, baby girl.”

The coach finally blew her whistle and called off practice, and Regina felt a little bit more relieved now that the rest of the cheerleaders weren’t within earshot. She turned back to her friends, trying to keep her composure and not collapse into an anxious mess.

’’I think Brianna is angry with me.” She admitted, and the words left a bitter taste in her mouth. That was the last thing she wanted: after coming so far, fighting off so many demons and breaking through barriers, hurting Brianna all over again felt like she failed, like she didn’t change at all, like she was that awful person she used to be. A shadow of her father.

’’Did you guys have a fight?” Crystal asked, sending her a concerned look. ’’What happened?”

’’It wasn’t really a fight,” Regina said, fiddling with her ponytail anxiously, ’’it was just me… ruining things again.”

’’Hey.” Etta said softly, squeezing her hand. ’’A fight is not the end of the world. You can just talk it out, and…”

’’Regina.”

Regina felt her heart drop. On other days, that voice made butterflies flutter around in her stomach, and her chest fill up with a comfortable warmth. But now, it made the blood freeze in her veins, and her heart clench painfully. That voice, that was usually so soft and warm, was now icy cold and strict- angry.

Etta and Crystal shared a concerned look as Brianna approached them, all but marching towards Regina. They could clearly tell something was really, very wrong.

’’We need to talk.” Brianna stated once she reached them, sending a sharp look to Regina, who swallowed thickly. She knew that Brianna was right, and that she had to explain herself: that didn’t exactly soothe her nerves, though.

’’It’s okay.” Regina said to Crystal and Etta, sending them a weak smile. ’’We’re gonna catch up to you guys later.”

Crystal seemed suspicious, and Etta literally had to drag her away so the couple could have a little privacy. On one hand, Regina wished they stayed, giving her some moral support, but on the other, she was happy. She had a feeling this is not going to end prettily, and it was better to be humiliated alone than have an audience.

’’What was that?” Brianna asked, crossing her arms across her chest. She seemed so accusatory, it made Regina shrink.

’’Let me explain.” Regina said, and Brianna gave a bitter chuckle.

’’I’m listening.”

Regina swallowed, before taking a deep breath. She already felt tears stinging her eyes, but she tried to keep them at bay.

’’I’m not ready.” Regina admitted quietly, her cheeks turning red in embarrassment. She stared down at her shoes, doing her very best to avoid Brianna’s eyes- seeing that hurt look again would surely destroy her.

’’For what?” Brianna asked, and she finally sounded less strict, like she was actually willing to listen to Regina now. That made Regina feel more at ease, and she could lift her eyes.

’’Coming out.” Regina replied. ’’Being public about it.”

Brianna was silent, inspecting her face as if she was looking for any signs of her lying. The silence stretched on for long, and Regina felt herself grow anxious again. Why wasn’t she saying anything? Why was she so silent, and why was she looking at her like that? Her stomach was a size of an ant at this point, twisting and turning, and her palms were quickly growing clammy with nervous sweat. She wiped them off on her uniform, trying to get her breathing under control again.

The silence was finally broken by Brianna, and as much as Regina initially wished she would start speaking again, now she wasn’t really grateful that she did.

’’Are you sure that this is what you are so afraid of?”

Regina snapped her head back up, and her heart surely skipped a beat. There was that awful, hurt look again, mixed with genuine anger. She has never seen that look before, and she wished she didn’t get to experience it ever, because it made her feel like she was suffocating.

’’What do you mean?” Regina asked, her voice awfully shaky and thin. The height difference between her and Brianna was always prominent and obvious, but now it seemed even more so, as Brianna practically towered over her, intimidating and full of anger, while Regina felt like a scared little mouse, too tiny to protect herself. She was just as helpless when her father attacked her, and she was helpless now. She always was.

’’Hm, I don’t know.” Brianna said bitterly, her eyes twitching. Regina was terrified to see the tears in her eyes as well.

’’I was thinking.” Brianna said, drawing in a sharp breath. She flexed her jaw, clearly trying to keep herself back from sobbing. ’’And you know what crossed my mind?”

Regina didn’t know, and she was sure she didn’t want to hear it, not when Brianna lead it up like that, bitter and angry, clearly blaming Regina for whatever was eating away at her.

’’You are the head cheerleader, and probably the most popular kid in this school,” Brianna started, her voice wavering, ’’and you reigned here for quite a long time. It must hurt losing your crown, Princess.”

Princess. She didn’t really use that nickname for Regina anymore; when she did, she only said it with affection, to make sure it didn’t remind Regina of the times they still hated each other- the spoiled princess and the pretentious asshole. Regina felt like a dagger was pushed into her heart, because she said it with the same tone she used back then- with disdain.

’’I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Regina tried, but Brianna cut her off quickly.

’’You do.” She said, frowning down at her. ’’Of course you do. Taking the strays in your group must be hard already. I bet your status isn’t the same for it now.”

’’Brianna…” Regina tried again, but Brianna wasn’t having it. She didn’t want to talk. She wasn’t interested in what Regina had to say: she just wanted to vomit it all out.

’’And now,” Brianna continued with a scoff, ’’you would have to hold my hand, and tell everyone that your’re dating someone from the bottom of the foodchain. Of course you don’t wanna admit it. You need to maintain at least some reputation, don’t you?”

’’No!” Regina finally snapped. She could barely see through her tears: every word Brianna said was like a punch in the gut, aching down to her very core.

’’Brianna, it’s not about that! I’m just not ready, okay?”

’’I don’t think I believe you.” Brianna said, blinking rapidly, but the tears spilled out anyway. ’’You promised me. That after your father is gone, we would come out.”

’’I know.” Regina whispered, wiping at her eyes. ’’And I want to, just… I need more time.”

’’What are you so scared of?” Brianna yelled, making Regina take a cautious step back. This is how it always started: yelling, and then the shove. The fear. She couldn’t believe Brianna didn’t see how scary she looked like to someone like Regina right now.

’’You cannot be mad at me for being scared!” Regina shouted back, trying to stand her ground and not fall apart. ’’You’ve been there too, you should know how scary it is!”

’’The way you talked about that club,” Brianna continued, like she didn’t even hear what Regina said, ’’do you know what you sounded like?”

Regina shook her head, taking another step back. She was grateful that Brianna stayed in one place, at least. She didn’t know how she would have been able to handle it if she started coming onto her like her father did.

’’You sounded like the old you.” Brianna spat, shaking her head in disappointment. ’’Like the mean queen bee. The bully. That is why I don’t believe that fear is your problem. I think your issue is pride.”

Regina shook her head. She opened her mouth to say something, to defend herself, to explain, but the words didn’t come out. She was paralyzed. Her body trembled like a leaf, tears making steady tracks down her cheeks, and all she could think about was how she ruined everything, how everything was her fault. It was just like her father always said: she was useless. What did she do now? She hurt the person she loved the most, and couldn’t even explain herself properly. Everything was in pieces, and she didn’t have the power to put them back together again.

Brianna probably took her silence as confirmation, because she scoffed, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve angrily.

’’I thought we were past this,” Brianna whispered brokenly, ’’I thought you loved me. I thought it didn’t matter that I’m not like you. That I’m a fucking loser.”

’’I love you…” Regina whimpered, trying to reach out for Brianna, but she shook her head and stepped back.

’’I just wanted us to be happy…” Brianna’s voice was choked up, and she gave a pathetic sob. She turned her back on Regina and started walking away, arms wrapped around herself like she was cold, head hung low.

And Regina wanted to follow her, but she was unable to. She just stood there, legs rooted in place, unable to move, to talk, to breathe.

Everything fell apart, just when it seemed like things were going to be okay, and Regina had no idea how to fix this.

If there even was a way to do that.


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mother and father know best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think we all need a little bit of a calmer chapter after the one prior.

Brianna seriously couldn’t remember the last time she was feeling so miserable. Sure, breakups hurt, fighting with a loved one hurt, being disappointed by someone you really trusted hurt- she experienced heartache before. Never like this one, though. This one ached and burned, and yet it was icy cold at the same like, how she was burning up with fever when sick, only to get the shakes a few seconds later.

She didn’t really leave her bed the whole weekened. She had a history project due Monday, but she just couldn’t get herself to do it. All she wanted to do was to lie in bed, listen to sad songs and feel sorry for herself. She didn’t have the energy to do anything else, anyways.

Regina texted her on the same day they had their fallout, but Brianna only gave a half-assed response, only consisting of a few words. She didn’t want to talk to Regina- she would have preferred not even thinking about her, but the problem was, that Regina was literally the only thing on her mind right now.

Everything felt so broken, and like it couldn’t be fixed anymore. Brianna was so happy: they were together, they were in love, Regina’s family drama was solved- nothing could stand in their way anymore. Or so Brianna thought, apparently. 

The way Regina was frowning and whining when Brianna mentioned the LGBTQ club, was still living vividly inside her. She sounded so mean- all they talk about is being gay? Why would she say that, if not because… because she hadn’t changed, after all. Because she still wanted people to think of her as the Queen Bee, wanted to keep her status. She couldn’t have that if she was attending clubs like that, right?

And she definitely couldn’t have that if she was dating Brianna May, someone who was pretty much the definition of uncool in everyone’s books. Even if she comes out as gay, and she still doesn’t end up at the bottom of the foodchain, openly dating Brianna was still social suicide. There was no way anyone would take her seriously after a revelation like that.

Brianna groaned, rolling onto her side and curling up into a small ball. She was just a burden to Regina, nothing more. She was the one holding her back. She would probably be okay coming out, if it wasn’t for an awkward, lanky nerd sucking on her like a leech. If she was dating someone as hot as Freddie, or as popular as Etta, it probably wouldn’t be a problem. The only problem here was Brianna herself, and she hated knowing that.

She wiped at her eyes, almost surprised when her knuckles came back wet. She didn’t even realize she was crying: it pretty much became her normal setting these past few days. Crying and fuming, and then feeling empty like all the emotions have been sucked out of her, and all that was left was humiliation and exhaustion.

She did receive texts from other people, not just Regina: Crystal and Etta kept asking her what happened between them because apparently Regina wouldn’t tell them, but Brianna didn’t feel like explaining. Freddie sent her an extremely long message about how Regina was crying, and she wanted to know why, and she was more than willing to tear Brianna’s hair out piece by piece if she hurt her best friend, and Brianna got a headache by the time she processed what she was talking about. Joan tried to coax her into talking too, but Brianna legitimately didn’t want to talk to anyone.

She sighed deeply when the door to her room opened. She didn’t want to talk to her parents at all, either, but it was a little harder to avoid them, considering they lived together.

The bed dipped next to her, and she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. 

’’I made you those carrot sticks with that garlic sauce you love so much.” Ruth said softly, brushing her hair out of her face. ’’You haven’t even eaten breakfast today.”

’’I’m not hungry, Mum.” Brianna replied quietly, feeling fresh tears stinging her eyes.

A new weight joined Ruth on the bed, and her father spoke to her softly:

’’Would you please sit up a little bit? We need to talk.”

Brianna sighed. She really wasn’t in the mood for this interrogation, or a pep talk, or whatever her parents were planning, really. It would just interrupt her well-deserved moping session.

She still heaved herself up, sitting up against her pillows while stubbornly avoiding her parents’ eyes. Looking at their concerned faces would just make her break down.

’’What happened?” Harold asked, placing a hand on her knee. ’’You can talk to us. You know that bottling it up just makes it worse.”

’’Something at school?” Ruth tried, placing the snack down on the bedside table so she could hold Brianna’s hand. ’’Did you and Regina have a fight?”

Hearing that name being said out loud pushed a thousand daggers straight into Brianna’s heart, and she drew in a sharp breath, blinking rapidly to keep her tears at bay. She still couldn’t fool her parents, though, no matter how hard she tried.

’’I thought so.” Ruth sighed, scooting further up on the bed so she was sitting next to Brianna. She wrapped an arm around her daughter, and that gentle movement was enough for the floodgates to open. Brianna let out a pathetic sob, burying her face in her hands.

’’I thought she loved me.” Brianna whispered. She didn’t even know if her parents heard her through her sobs and from behind her hands. ’’But I think I was wrong.”

’’Why would you say that?” Harold asked softly, moving closer to Brianna and rubbing her back comfortingly. Brianna snifled, wiping at her eyes.

’’She doesn’t wanna date publicly.” Brianna said, the words leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She relived everything from the past few days, and her heart clenched painfully.

’’Did she tell you why?” Ruth asked, tucking a piece of hair behind Brianna’s ear. Brianna gave a bitter little chuckle, staring down at her lap.

’’She said she’s not ready.” Brianna replied, examining her nails. She did her best to avoid her parents’ eyes before she would start sobbing again. ’’That she’s scared.”

Harold hummed softly, lightly tapping his fingers against Brianna’s back, the way he did when she was small and scraped her knee after falling from her bike: a small, gentle movemed, that somehow always managed to soothe her. Her tense muscles relaxed in a Pavlovian way, her shoulders slumping lightly.

’’Doesn’t that make sense?” Harold asked, inspecting Brianna’s face intently. ’’I mean… I’m by no means an expert, but I know it was hard for you to do so, too.”

’’You were scared too.” Ruth reminded her gently with a small smile. ’’Remember how you were sobbing when you told us? You were afraid that we would hate you, even though we never gave any indication that we would be mad at you if you were gay. Regina’s father, though… he really was a terrible person. No wonder that poor thing is still terrified.”

’’But he’s in jail now.” Brianna countered, finally looking up at them. She wasn’t feeling sad anymore: she was feeling angry. At Regina, at Michael, at the world, and at herself. Why couldn’t things just be simple, just for once!?

’’He cannot hurt Regina anymore, and she promised that she would come out if her Dad was out of the way.”

Silence fell on them, and Brianna thought she had the most valid point now. She managed to back up her statement; it was true, after all. Regina made a promise, and she broke it, because she never cared about Brianna as much as she claimed she did. Her throat seized up at the thought, but she managed to hold herself back from sobbing now.

’’I don’t think that works at a flick of the wrist.” Harold said eventually, breaking the heavy silence. ’’Just think about it, Brianna. Her family background was not the most supportive, and she must have some residue insecurities left. And her father was only put away like a week ago, I’m pretty sure she needs some more time to process everything.”

This option crossed Brianna’s mind too- it all made sense. She knew that coming out was scary, that it wasn’t easy to prepare yourself for it, and she got to know Regina well enough to know she was more insecure and shy than she appeared to be at first glance. And the part about Michael poisioning Regina for way too long was also true- she would be scared too, if the same happened to her.

It all sounded very logical, but then again, there was that part of her brain that just couldn’t shut up; the one that constantly kept reminding her, that Regina was pretty much out of her league, and Regina probably knew that too. She remembered when they first kissed and decided to be together, she remembered asking Regina if she wanted to do that in secret because of fear, or because of Brianna. And she sounded so sincere back then, promising it wasn’t because of Brianna, so Brianna really had no reason not to trust her- or did she? Was that a lie back then? 

Brianna liked to think of herself as a smart person, but right now, she was completely in the dark. She just couldn’t figure this out: she was so full of conflicting emotions, not knowing what was the rational way to approach this. The only thing she was certain about, is that fighting with Regina was the most awful thing ever, and even though she was angry at her, she still couldn’t help but miss her. God, this was all a huge mess.

’’You know,” Brianna started after some more silence, ’’I guess you’re right. But she used to be a little bit of a bully. She was very popular, and she looked down upon me and kids who were similar. And I… I don’t know, but I just can’t help but think that this is her real reason. That she’s scared to date the annoying, nerdy giraffe.”

’’Oh, honey.” Ruth said softly, kissing her cheek lovingly. ’’This is not true, and you know that, deep down. Regina loves you a lot. She changed so much. She is nothing like that girl who made memes of classmates and was harsh towards you. Or do you not see that?”

Brianna sighed, giving a small nod. Well, Regina really was a long way from that person who would laugh at other people, who would make jokes at the expense of someone else, who would treat anyone who wasn’t like her and her perfect little posse like peasants. Could that be just an act…?

No. No, Regina wasn’t like that, she was so much better than that, and Brianna knew that, too. There was no way she would lie to Brianna about her feelings. Brianna closed her eyes and remembered: their first kiss, when Regina sought out comfort, cuddled up to her and fell asleep in her arms, then admitted her feelings for Brianna the next day. She remembered holding Regina in her lap, making her giggle by showering her cheeks in kisses; she remembered Regina looking up at her with stars in her eyes, like Brianna was the center of her world; she remembered breathing in the peachy scent of her hair. She loved Regina, and Regina loved her back.

’’I fucked up.” Brianna sighed, and Ruth gasped.

’’Language!”

’’Yeah, I’m sorry.” Brianna chuckled nervously, then she sighed, rubbing at her temples. How could she do this? How could she ever doubt Regina, when all the proof of her love was laid bare before her?

’’I called her out on something she didn’t even do.” Brianna groaned. ’’I accused her of not loving me. I called her a mean girl again.”

’’You can still fix it.” Harold promised, giving her a small smile. ’’It’s not too late, Brianna. You two need to talk, and by that I mean actually talk. No pointing fingers, no accusations, no lashing out and no fighting. Tell her why you snapped at her like that. Explain what really went through your head in that moment, and apologize. And let her explain, too. I think you read too much into this, kiddo.”

Brianna nodded, feeling her lips twitch into a small smile. They were right: if anything, she should at least try and talk to Regina, and let her explain her side of the story too. They went through so much together, this misunderstanding couldn’t stand between them.

Brianna just hoped that her parents were really right, and things weren’t as awful as they seemed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I really love Ruth and Harold too. I just like writing supportive parents.


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, you just have to face your fears.

Regina was aware she must have looked like death, what with the deep, dark circles under her eyes and her pale face. She didn’t really do much the whole weekend except for crying, trying to eat some comfort food and then crying some more. She has went through breakups before, but nothing hurt as much as this one did, even though she wasn’t even sure if this was a breakup, after all. She had no idea what was going on between them now: she tried to talk to Brianna, but their online conversation got short by Brianna icing her out, and that just broke Regina’s heart even more. She really thought everything was going okay between them now, and yet…

Freddie wouldn’t leave her alone, of course. Once she caught word that something is off between her friends, she went full on mother hen mode, and kept bombarding Regina with texts. And now, that Regina finally caved in and told her what really happened, she put on her mama bear armour, ready to go into war for her friend and murder Brianna if necessary.

’’I told you, it wasn’t her fault.” Regina repeated, about the uptenth time that day. ’’It was mine.”

Freddie huffed, seemingly not convinced at all. When she was in protective mode, nothing could deter her from tearing a new one to anyone who might have caused her best friends distress.

’’Darling, it wasn’t your fault at all.” Freddie said, her voice softening. She took ahold of Regina’s hand, giving it a light squeeze.

’’She should be more understanding. We all went through this shit called internalized homophobia at one point, I’m pretty sure she did too.”

’’I mean… you’re right.” Regina admitted with a deep sigh. ’’She should be more understanding, but… Freddie, I didn’t explain myself right. I didn’t give her any reason to think that she wasn’t right about… well, me still being a fucking asshole.”

Freddie sighed, pulling Regina into a hug. Regina sighed, letting herself relax into her friend’s arms. They were around the same height, so she couldn’t melt against her like she needed to, but she did appreciate the kindness after this mess.

She did a lot of thinking during the course of the weekend, and she came to a similar conclusion as Freddie did: that Brianna should totally understand what she’s going through right now, and that she was being a little unfair by lashing out at her the way she did. But then again, Regina kept repeating her words inside her head. Brianna wasn’t really mad at her, because she wanted to publicly snog her girlfriend, but because of their past. She was full of insecurities and doubts about herself, and they really spilled over this time. Regina sighed, feeling another headache coming on. Things were going so easy, why did they have to fall apart like this?

’’I think you two definitely need to talk to each other.” Freddie stated. Her voice had a little bit of a harder edge to it, and Regina was about to ask her what’s wrong, when Freddie continued:

’’I spy with my little eyes something that starts with B and ends with A. She’s coming over here, right now, as we speak.”

Regina immediately tensed up. The idea of having a repeat of that day where Brianna practically told her where to shove it, and accused her of not having changed at all, made her feel like she was about to throw up. She wanted things to magically fix themselves, but thas was unlikely. Whether she wanted or not, she had to at least try and talk to Brianna.

She reluctantly pulled back from Freddie, feeling her heart pounding like a hammer as her eyes fell on Brianna. She wasn’t in a much better state than herself: she looked just as pale and exhausted.

’’Hey.” Brianna said once she reached them, and Regina could have seriously cried when she heard how soft her voice sounded, not at all like it did when she nearly tore her head off.

She almost laughed when Freddie puffed up like an angry little bird, crossing her arms across her chest and glaring up at Brianna. Even Brianna seemed surprised, looking at Regina for an explanation, then back to Freddie again.

’’Uhm, Freddie… do you mind?” Brianna asked carefully, and Freddie scoffed.

’’I’m staying and making sure you won’t make Regina cry again.” Freddie stated, sending Regina a look. ’’I’m making sure no one cries today. You two are both idiots…”

’’Freddie, it’s okay.” Regina said with a nervous little chuckle, placing a hand on Freddie’s shoulder before her friend would explode. ’’We get it. You can really leave us alone for a few minutes.”

Freddie seemed dubious for a second, but she deflated, giving Regina a nod and Brianna another death glare before marching away. For some reason, Regina was sure she would spy on them from behind a dumpster or something, but at least they had some privacy.

She turned back to Brianna, swallowing thickly. She didn’t know how to start this conversation: it was obvious that Brianna came to her for this exact reason, but that didn’t mean Regina was able to put her thoughts into words now- but she really had to, if she ever wanted to get her girlfriend back.

Just as she opened her mouth to say something, Brianna started speaking:

’’I want to apologize.”

Regina’s heart gave a harsh thud, and she felt her chest fill with warmth. Sure, Brianna really didn’t look too angry today, but hearing these words out like felt like a soothing cream against a bad wound.

’’You do?” Regina asked numbely, blushing. That was not what she wanted to say at all, but Brianna didn’t seem too phased: she nodded, shifting on her feet awkwardly.

’’I lashed out.” Brianna said, looking horribly embarrassed. ’’I wasn’t thinking. Of course, you are feeling scared. Of course, it is hard. I should have realized that and respected that instead of accusing you of horrible things.”

Regina could have seriously soared away like a helium balloon after hearing that, she was so damn happy. On one hand, it meant that Brianna truly wasn’t angry with her anymore. And on the other, she didn’t feel like such a coward, because her own insecurities were respected too. Just as Freddie had told her, she had a right to be scared. And this was the message Brianna was confirming now, too.

’’Your father made you feel small, and weak.” Brianna continued. ’’But you are none of those things, Reg. You are so strong, and so brave, and you know that too. I understand now, how hard can this be for you, after living together with a monster for so long. It’s never easy, but… you had it even worse.”

She gave Regina a small, uncertain smile, and it made Regina’s heart flutter happily.

’’I just want to remind you, how much better you are than what your father said. You don’t need to be afraid. But… but if you are, than that’s okay too, because it all makes sense. And really, I shouldn’t have acted so accusatory. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt, at least.”

Regina blinked rapidly, teas of relief stinging her eyes. This was exactly what she wanted to hear, what she needed to soothe her stormy soul, and it was finally being said out loud. 

She took a step closer to Brianna, looking up at her. God, it has only been a few days, and she already missed her so much, being this close to her once again felt like the biggest, sweetest relief.

’’And I should have explained myself.” Regina said quietly, swallowing around the small lump in her throat. ’’I should have told you what I really feel.”

’’Tell me now.” Brianna said softly, and Regina took a deep breath, trying to gather her jumbled up thoughts.

’’I love you.” Regina said, and she was happy to see the hint of a smile on Brianna’s lips. ’’i really do. I am not ashamed of you. I don’t care about maintaining some bullshit status, because you are much more important than that to me. I don’t care what people think about me dating a… nerd? How is that still an insult?”

Brianna chuckled, and Regina couldn’t help but laugh with her. Seriously, all of those past conflicts between them were so ridiculous, and so damn pointless.

’’Maybe some people don’t see what I do.” Regina continued, feeling her cheeks getting warm. ’’Because I see a very smart girl, who is really kind and gentle, but also fierce as hell. Like, you sound like a marshmallow when you speak, but you were more than capable of defending me from my father with a damn body lotion.”

Brianna laughed, shaking her head. ’’I will never live that down, huh?”

’’No, and you don’t even have to.” Regina laughed. ’’Because it was badass. You are a badass.”

There was an emotion in Brianna’s eyes, one that Regina really missed to see, and it made her entire body fill with a comfortable, familiar warmth.

’’So, no, I’m not ashamed to have you as a girlfriend. I’m just… I don’t know how it feels to tell the world that you like another girl. It sounds scary.”

She ducked her head shyly, staring down at her feet. Brianna gave a soft sigh.

’’It is.” The other girl admitted, making Regina look up again. There was finally a real smile on her face. ’’But it feels really good in the end. Once you are over the initial fear, it feels great. Liberating. Because you don’t have to pretend, and you don’t have to bury your feelings anymore.”

Regina hummed softly. It sounded amazing. Not feeling ashamed. Not hiding. Kissing, and holding the hand of someone she loved without feeling like she was doing something wrong and dirty. To be free, truly, really free and happy.

She couldn’t help but chuckle, and Brianna raised a curious eyebrow.

’’What?”

’’We are both insecure messes, aren’t we?” Regina grinned, and Brianna laughed softly, shrugging.

’’It seems so.”

They fell silent again, just smiling at each other. In the past few days, it seemed like they were frozen, but now the ice was slowly melting; everything was getting warm again. 

’’So…” Regina started, a little shyly, ’’are we okay now?”

’’If you can forgive me for being too caught up in my own head, instead of hearing you out.” Brianna said, and Regina nodded, unable to stop smiling.

’’Yes. Can you forgive me for not telling what was wrong right away, and making you feel miserable?” Regina asked, biting her lip. Brianna nodded with a smile, and Regina could squeal from happiness.

’’Come here.” Brianna said softly, pulling Regina into a hug. Now, Regina could melt to her heart’s content, smushing her cheek against Brianna’s chest and moulding herself into her arms, feeling safe and protected. She never wanted to lose this hug, ever again.

She hummed softly, closing her eyes. She remembered what Brianna said: she wasn’t small, weak. She was strong and brave. She was not like her father, or what her father thought of her to be. She was much better, much stronger.

If there was one thing Regina knew about herself, is that she was damn stubborn. If she put her mind to something, she would go through with it- even if things were scary, or uncertain. She survived her father’s abuse. She redeemed herself, and admitted her feelings for Brianna. She changed, and became the person she was always meant to be, free of her father’s shadow. She was being herself, and no one, not even her own insecurities could hold her back.

She pulled away from Brianna, looking up into her eyes. This girl, without a doubt, was the love of her life. She had been in love before, but never as strongly and as intensely as she was now. Brianna swooped in and changed her world: she changed her perception of many things. She was the reason Regina felt like it was worth changing for, constantly fighting her own demons to grow, to lose the shackles that held her back.

There were many people in the school yard in the moment, and Regina’s heart was pounding inside her chest. Some of them would whisper, spread rumors or straight up mock her, she was sure of that. Was it all worth it for Brianna, and her own liberation?

It was.

She stood on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips against Brianna’s, making her let out a surprised little gasp. The taller girl pulled away, looking concerned.

’’You don’t have to, not for me, if you are not ready.” Brianna said, but Regina shook her head, giving her a smile.

’’It’s for the both of us.” She admitted softly. ’’I’m still scared, and I can’t promise I won’t have a breakdown if someone will be an ass to us over this, because it’s all new for me, but… I want to let go of my fears.”

It felt so amazing to say it out loud. It felt liberating, just as Brianna promised it would.

Brianna grinned, looking so happy that Regina immediately knew she did the right thing, for the both of them.

’’Can I hold your hand, then?” Brianna asked hopefully, and Regina chuckled.

’’Well, I did kiss you in front of everybody, so I guess it’s not that big of a deal now.”

She could see people watching them from the corners of her eyes, but she steeled herself. She could do this. She was strong, and fierce. Nothing could break her anymore.

’’Oh, Lord, that was so sweet!”

They both whipped around to see Freddie emerge from behind a dumpster, and Regina burst out laughing so hard, her tears spilled out. Classic Freddie.

’’What the hell, Freddie?” Brianna groaned. ’’Have you been there the whole time?”

’’Yes?” Freddie scoffed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. ’’I told you, I was gonna make sure no one cries today, from sadness, at least.”

She gave Regina a proud grin. ’’You did so well, darling, I’m so happy for you, both of you!”

’’I did it.” Regina laughed, unable to believe it. ’’Other students saw it!”

’’They did.” Brianna grinned, tucking a piece of hair behind Regina’s ear lovingly.

’’Will you attend the LGBTQ meeting too?” Freddie asked, excitedly bouncing, and Regina chuckled.

’’Maybe I could take a look at it.”

Brianna grinned, lacing their fingers together. She gave Regina a look, as if to check that she was really sure, and Regina nodded. Hand in hand, they started walking back to class.

’’I’m gonna follow you from a respectable distance and kick everyone in the balls or the puss if they talk shit.” Freddie announced, making the couple laugh.

People were staring. Some of them were whispering, as they made their way down the corridor, holding hands. The rest of the Clique spotted them, and they all squealed, giving Regina proud grins.

It was new, it was scary, Regina had to admit that. But she was holding Brianna’s hand, and when Brianna sent her an encouraging smile, Regina smiled back.

She held her head up high, continuing her stroll forward, clinging to her lover’s hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go :)


	38. Chapter 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls attend the Romeo & Juliet play, that Freddie and Phoebe dance in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up longer than I thought it would- I really enjoyed writing it, even though I don't know anything about ballet! :D Also, let's welcome some new side-characters!

Joan was aware their school owned a theatre room, but she never realized it literally looked like a bloody theatre. She always imagined it just as a slightly bigger classroom, where they assign an elevated part as the stage, and then call it a day. But no, it literally felt like walking into a theatre, and her jaw pretty much dropped.

’’You have never been here before, I assume?” Regina teased, and Joan chuckled, raking her eyes over the rows of seats in the audience.

’’I haven’t.” Joan admitted. She looked up at the ceiling, gasping when she spotted a giant chandelier. ’’How the hell does our school fund all this!?”

’’Well, you know how that goes.” Crystal shrugged. ’’Let’s spend money on literally everything, but education. God, I hope no teacher has heard this.”

’’Nah, I think you’re good.” Brianna laughed. She looked towards the stage, that was half-hidden behind heavy burgundy curtains, and smiled softly. ’’And if you think about it, at least Freddie and Phoebe has a great environment to dance in.”

’’I love the way you think.” Regina cooed, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss Brianna on the lips, making her giggle.

’’Gross.” Joan huffed, but she couldn’t help but grin. Ever since Regina finally came out, and they made their relationship public knowledge, both of them were practically glowing. Regina seemed much more relaxed, and Brianna was constantly grinning like a fool. Joan seriously couldn’t be happier for her friends: now, everyone in The Clique was happily dating someone, except for Etta and Crystal. But hey, six out of eight is a pretty great measurement!

’’Oh, I’m finally not late!”

They all turned around at the unfamiliar voice, looking at the mussy-haired boy in confusion- everyone, except for Etta. She squealed, pulling him into a hug and patting him on the back.

’’You made it!” Etta grinned before pulling back, throwing an arm over his shoulder in a friendly manner, turning towards the other girls. ’’You remember that I told you I have a good mate from Eagle Mountain High? Well, that’s him.”

’’Yup, in the flesh.” The boy grinned, giving them an awkward wave. ’’Hey, everyone. I’m Bernie.”

Everyone gave an uncertain ’hello’. If there was something they all knew about Etta, is that when she was grinning like that, she was definitely planning some kind of mischief.

’’Bernie loves ballet.” Etta announced. She suddenly turned to Crystal, giving her a smirk.

’’Just like Crystal, right, Crystal?”

Joan had to hide her smile behind her hand, and she could see Regina and Brianna share a look from the corner of her eye, while Jenny all but cackled next to her. So, that was the agenda here.

’’Right…” Crystal said, blushing heavily when Bernie smiled at her.

’’Typical Etta.” Jenny whispered into Joan’s ear, making her chuckle. ’’How about we leave them do their heterosexual mating ritual, and check on our lovely ladies?”

’’Can we do that?” Joan asked hopefully, feeling her heart thud at the idea of seeing Freddie. She has been here since the early hours of the morning, training, and so Joan couldn’t yet meet her. Jenny nodded, giving her a grin.

’’I’m pretty sure Freddie would be very happy to have some moral support.”

Joan nodded eagerly, following Jenny who was already marching forward. They stopped when Etta yelled after them.

’’Where are you going?”

’’To check on Phoebe and Freddie.” Jenny replied, raising an eyebrow when Etta all but scrambled through the seats to get to them.

’’I’m coming too.” She said, making everyone stare at her, dumbfounded.

’’Why do you wanna go there so much?” Regina asked, and her voice had a little teasing edge to it. ’’Is there someone behind the scenes, who’s waiting for you?”

Bernie and Crystal wolf-whistled at the same time, and Etta snickered. Joan was surprised to see her cheeks going red; she has never seen Etta blush before.

’’It’s whatever.” She huffed. She grabbed onto Jenny and Joan’s arms, all but dragging them towards the stage. ’’Come on.”

The backstage was absolutely chaotic: costumes were thrown on the floor, hanging off the windowsill and in piles over chairs and tables. The decorations were only half-way done, and people were running around so fast, Joan could only see colorful blurs. Freddie has always told her that ballet could be pretty stressful, and now Joan could totally see why.

She spotted the ballet teacher, Ms. Lawrence explaining something to someone while wildly gesturing; she could see obvious ballet dancers, and some students that were known to attend the school’s drama club.

And finally, she spotted Freddie, and her heart did a little backflip.

Freddie was always utterly gorgeous, no doubt, but she was simply radiant today. She was wearing a white and gold leotard that stood against her skin beautifully, layered necklaces and golden bangles decorating her body, and her hair was adorned with a white flower crown. She looked absolutely ethereal.

She spotted Joan, and her face lit up. She all but flew over to her girlfriend, throwing herself into her arms, nearly knocking Joan off her feet.

’’Darling!” Freddie squealed, wrapping her arms around Joan’s neck. ’’I’m so glad you’re here!”

Her cheeks were pink in excitement, and Joan couldn’t resist kissing both cheeks, her nose, her forehead, and finally her lips, making Freddie giggle.

’’You are beautiful.” Joan said, raking her eyes over Freddie’s costume. ’’God, you look like a fairy.”

’’Thank you.” Freddie replied softly, blushing. ’’At least by staring at me, you would have something to occupy yourself with during this boring play.”

’’Hey, none of that.” Joan said softly, cupping Freddie’s cheeks and running her thumbs across her cheekbones. ’’I told you, I really am interested in it. I wanna see you up on that stage, blowing everyone’s minds away.”

’’You wanna be a part of my little world?” Freddie teased, making Joan chuckle.

’’Well, I didn’t wanna say it in such a cheesy way, but sort of.”

Freddie laughed, but it had a nervous edge to it. Joan knew how much this meant for Freddie, finally snagging such a big role in such an important play- and yes, it was just a school play, but Freddie worked so hard for this, and she really deserved to have all the attention on her.

’’You’re gonna do great.” Joan promised, pressing their foreheads together, careful of the flower crown. ’’You are the best damn ballet dancer here.”

’’That’s because you don’t know the others.” Freddie said, biting her lip. Joan tutted softly, gently tapping her finger against her lip until Freddie released it.

’’Don’t diminish yourself.” Joan said, tucking a piece of hair behind Freddie’s ear, that got free from under her crown. ’’You are the best for this role, you know that.”

’’You two are gonna be amazing.” Jenny chimed in next to them, from where she was in the process of showering Phoebe’s cheeks in kisses.

’’Have I told you how sexy you look in this maiden costume?” Jenny teased, giving Phoebe’s butt a playful little smack, making her squeal.

’’First of all, this is a nanny costume, not a maiden costume.” Phoebe scoffed, bopping Jenny on the nose. ’’Second, don’t grope me when I’m nervous. I can’t appreciate it now as much as I want to.”

’’Don’t be nervous.” Jenny cooed, lifting Phoebe’s hand to her lips and kissing her knuckles. ’’You are gorgeous, and so damn talented. I saw what you can do, you showed me last night, remember?”

Phoebe blushed, and Freddie threw her head back with a laugh.

’’Do you realize how you just made this sound?”

’’What if it wasn’t accidental?” Jenny grinned with a suggestive eyebrow-wriggle, making Phoebe let out a miserable whine.

’’Okay, I think that’s too much information.” Joan laughed, pulling Freddie flush against her side. ’’Phoebe, you are going to be a fantastic nanny. And Freddie, you will be a fantastic Juliet. Don’t fret, girls.”

Jenny hummed in agreement, before taking a look around, frowning. ’’Where’s Etta?”

Right. It seemed like they sort of lost her somewhere along the way. Joan whipped around, craning her neck to spot her- and there. Joan’s lips curled into a grin, and she elbowed the other three, nodding towards her.

Etta was talking to a pretty brunette, her cheeks pink, but with her usual flirty smile in place, and the other girl laughed softly at something she said.

’’So, that is why Etta wanted to come with us so much.” Joan laughed, watching as Etta gently tucked a piece of hair behind the girl’s ear, making her blush. ’’Who is that?”

’’That’s Dinah Furnish.” Freddie said, smiling at the pair softly. ’’She’s the head of the drama club. They are helping out with this play, with decorations and stuff.”

Jenny grinned, shaking her head in disbelief. ’’Get her, Tiger. Oh, by the way, did you know that Etta brought a boy here? Someone named Bernie?”

Freddie seemed confused for a second, that her eyes widened. ’’Oh, Bernie Taupin? They went to the same kindergarten. She mentioned him a few times, and I think I met him once, if my memory serves correct. He’s a little bit of a weirdo, but he seems nice.”

’’She’s trying to set him up with Crystal.” Joan chimed in, making Freddie gasp.

’’No way!”

’’Yeah.” Jenny laughed. ’’I mean, I knew that Romeo & Juliet was a romantic play, but…”

’’Aw, you know the play?” Phoebe teased, pinching Jenny’s cheek. ’’You are such an intellectual.”

’’Watch out.” Jenny grinned, and before Phoebe could catch on, she slapped her butt again.

Freddie turned away from them with a fond little eyeroll, before smiling up at Joan.

’’You should go back to the audience soon.” Freddie said, lacing her fingers together with Joan’s. ’’Wish me luck.”

’’Good luck.” Joan said softly, pecking Freddie on the lips gently. ’’You’re gonna be amazing, I just know it.”

Freddie nodded, cupping the back of her neck and pulling her down into a longer, deeper kiss. Joan’s arms found their way around Freddie’s waist, pulling her close. She had a hard time leaving her beautiful girlfriend behind, though she doubted the audience would be happy about her clinging to Freddie all throughout her performance.

’’I love you.” Freddie said as they pulled away, giving Joan a soft smile. Joan couldn’t resist stealing one last chaste kiss, making Freddie snort fondly.

’’I love you too.” Joan replied, squeezing Freddie’s hips lovingly before grabbing Jenny’s arm, all but pulling her off Phoebe as the couple was in the middle of making out.

’’Come on, Stud.” Joan teased, giving Jenny a slightly harsher tug when the other girl still leaned in for one last kiss. ’’I know you don’t want to leave your girl, I feel you, but we gotta leave. Let’s gather the third rascal and find the rest of the group.”

Jenny finally followed her, a little reluctantly. Etta also had a hard time seeing goodbye to Dinah, but at least they weren’t kissing (yet), so she went a little easier than Jenny.

Joan threw one last glance towards Freddie over her shoulder, blowing her a little kiss which Freddie happily caught, placing her palm over her heart with a bright smile.

Joan wasn’t going to lie: the play was boring, and way too long. There wasn’t any dialogue in it, and there was only so much silent dancing Joan could endure- from strangers. But just as she guessed it, Freddie was perfect.

It seemed like the entire audience held their breaths as she started dancing, and Joan didn’t blame them. Freddie was gorgeous, elegant and playful, the perfect mix of a passionate lover yearning for affection, and a teenage girl still figuring out what life is. Her moves were fluid, and once again, Joan found herself musing if Freddie even had any bones in her body. The stagelights caught on the tiny gemstones sewn into her costume, and her whole body sparkled when the boy playing Romeo lifted her over his head. That was such a scary-looking move, and yet, Freddie just lay in his arms, completely relaxed, eyes closed in bliss like she was floating. Joan entertained that silly little thought that she should learn how to raise Freddie so high, once the doctors tell her it was totally safe to do so.

Freddie wrapped her leg around Romeo’s waist, pressing their foreheads together, and Joan remembered that day in the ballet room, when Freddie did the exact same thing with her, and she couldn’t help but grin. Maybe she should feel jealous that someone else was touching her lover in such an affectionate way, but all she could feel was pride. Because that gorgeous, almost angelic creature was her girlfriend, her love, her own little Juliet.

’’You can be very proud of her.” Brianna whispered into her ear halfway through, and Joan nodded with a grin. They were all proud of her, and Phoebe too: Regina had her head resting on Brianna’s shoulder, smiling all the way, and Brianna- even though Joan knew she wasn’t really a big art lover, either- watched with a similar awed expression. Jenny basically had ’’that’s my girl” plastered over her forehead whenever Phoebe was on stage, and Joan didn’t blame her. Her role was more minor, so she didn’t have such grandiose moves like Freddie, but that girl could dance like hell. When one of her ’’angry rants” ended with her doing a split without any difficulty, Joan’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head. Etta was recording the whole thing, obviously- Joan had no doubts it would end up all over social media, full with gushing tags about her friends. And even though Bernie and Crystal ended up looking at each other instead of the stage a lot, they still were pretty much awestruck when they watched Freddie and Phoebe.

Joan never really thought of herself as a very emotional person, but she did shed a few tears when Freddie ’’died” on stage. It was insane, how much acting skills she posessed, how much pain she managed to show without saying a word- just dancing. Joan used to think very little of ballet, never even considered it a real sport- but after having to take part in it through physical therapy, she didn’t only realize that it was tough as hell, but that it was probably the highest of the arts. Freddie once told her that you needed to focus with every single one of your nerve endings to truly understand and appreciate ballet, and now Joan understood why. It had everything combined: sport, dance, acting, fashion, musical abilities. Freddie was all of those things, and that is why Joan loved her so much: she was so complex, had so many sides, and Joan loved every single one of them.

She didn’t feel stupid at all for cheering loudly at the end of the play, clapping until her hands hurt when the dancers took their bows. Her eyes were fixated on Freddie, could see how calm and relieved she was as she received a standing ovation, could see that beatiful smile and those gentle eyes skimming the crowd, no doubt looking for her friends and lover, her permanent support network.

Joan’s heart swelled with pride as she watched her. She still couldn’t believe that she was the one that owned this beautiful, perfect girl’s heart, that out of so many people, this gorgeous little fairy chose her.

But hey- Joan was definitely, definitely not complaining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *me, thinking back on my old acting days* I want the stage baaaaaack


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joan's birthday is coming up, but she is not necessarily as happy as she should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two things. One, I wanted more Deacury, so this is what I'm giving you. Two, I touched upon this topic in chapter 19., and I wanted to actually cover it.
> 
> If death mention, talks about the death of a loved one, and general grief triggers you, you can easily skip this chapter. Stay safe!

Freddie was never the type to take the ’’don’t get me anything for my birthday”- request seriously. She liked getting people presents; she actually preferred giving gifts to someone to receiving them, because she loved seeing the genuine suprise and happiness on the other person’s face. She enjoyed the preparations that led up to it, hunting for the perfect gift and keeping it a secret, feeling like a sneaky little ninja as she kept pretending she only went for grocery shopping when in reality, she was looking for the birthday present. She didn’t really care if some people called her childish because of that: she just loved making people happy, that was what fueled her fire.

And after Joan was so nice and sat through an entire ballet performance just for her, she really wanted to make sure this gift would be perfect.

It wasn’t an easy task, though: Joan so very rarely talked about what she would like, never dropping hints that Freddie could go off of, so she had to figure that out all on her own. Except, she wasn’t really alone in it, because there was a certain someone, whom Joan had a very strong bond with, and who would definitely be able to help her come up with a good plan.

She approached Brianna when she was sitting in the cafeteria alone, plopping down next to her on a chair and blinking up at her with big puppy eyes, making Brianna chuckle.

’’Okay, what do you need?” Brianna asked, putting down her fork, and Freddie grinned.

’’You have really gotten to know me, huh?” Freddie giggled softly, and Brianna shrugged with a fond little smile. If Freddie wanted to be honest, she was scared that she wouldn’t be able to bond with Brianna: in the beginning, they rarely had one-on-one moments together, and didn’t really have much in common, so they didn’t talk all that much. Thankfully, it seemed like her worries were unnecessary, because Brianna was actually a really fun person, and Freddie found herself genuinely enjoying her company more and more.

’’What kind of things Joan likes?” Freddie asked, propping her chin up on her hands and looking at Brianna intently. ’’Like, if you were to surprise her with something, what would make her happy?”

Brianna hummed, taking a sip of her water before turning back to Freddie. 

’’Well, you must know that she likes fiddling with things.” Brianna said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. ’’This may sound weird, but there are those engineering toys, like 3D puzzles or electric building blocks and stuff. I think she likes those.”

Freddie hummed, taking notes in her head. So, she were to be looking for some kind of equipment that’s fun, but brain-stimulating at the same time. Challenge accepted.

’’She also loves cheese.” Brianna stated, chuckling softly. ’’Like, any kind really. For her, cheese is like chocolate to a normal person.”

Freddie laughed, imagining handing a heart-shaped block of cheese to Joan. Okay, that actually sounded kind of cute and funny.

’’She also plays bass guitar, so something for that…”

’’She plays bass!?” Freddie gasped. Joan never really mentioned it before. Brianna hummed, biting her lip. There was a strange emotion in her eyes, that Freddie couldn’t quite decipher, but it put her at unease.

’’Sort of.” Brianna said, scratching at the back of her neck awkwardly. ’’It’s a long story. Why are you asking, by the way?”

’’Because her birthday is coming up, as you probably know.” Freddie chuckled. Well, wasn’t it obvious that this is why she was asking around? For someone so damn smart, Brianna could sure be quite simple sometimes.

Brianna’s face fell, and Freddie felt an uncomfortable feeling settle into the pit of her stomach. That wasn’t the reaction she expected, considering they were talking about a mutual friend who was soon to be turning eighteen. Brianna pretty much seemed gloomy, if anything, her cheeks going a little pale, and she drew in a sharp breath to further deepen Freddie’s anxiety.

’’You know,” Brianna started, ’’I wouldn’t buy her anything if I were you. None of us do. Not even her mother.”

That sounded very cryptid and apocalytptic, and Freddie swallowed thickly. What on Earth could this even mean?

’’Why?” Freddie asked, feeling a lump rise in her throat. Brianna sighed, pushing a small tomato around in her salad with a frown.

’’Her father died on her birthday.”

Freddie’s heart dropped. That was not what she expected, at all. She knew about it, of course, but didn’t know he passed on Joan’s birthday, and the thought made tears sting her eyes immediately. This was such a terrible tragedy in itself, and this just made it even worse.

’’Oh my God…” Freddie whispered, and Brianna nodded with a deep sigh.

’’Yeah. So… She kind of hates her birthdays. I once tried to get her something, and she screamed my head off. I’m telling you this, so you don’t have to experience it.”

’’Thanks.” Freddie whispered, biting her lip. She felt awful. She had no reason to know about this, as Joan didn’t tell her, and obviously, Lillian or Julian wouldn’t come up with a topic like this during dinner, but she still felt guilty about not knowing. God, she would have went over there in a few days, and would have absolutely triggered her girlfriend, if it wasn’t for Brianna’s advice.

’’What does she do on her birthdays?” Freddie asked quietly after some silence, trying not to break down sobbing. The idea of Joan suffering made her heart shatter into a million pieces.

’’She’s usually alone.” Brianna admitted, fiddling with her bowl. It was clearly hard for her to think about her best friend’s pain like that, too. ’’Then she usually visits his grave in the late afternoon or evening.”

’’This is so terrible.” Freddie said, sighing. ’’I mean, that her father died on her birthday of all days…”

’’It is.” Brianna said. ’’She tries to pretend she’s over it, and she usually handles it well, but not on that day. And… she’s not over it, in general, I mean, how could she? They were very close. He taught her to play bass. She rarely plays on it.”

Freddie sighed, staring down at her lap. She couldn’t believe that Joan, this strong, gentle soul carried so much pain inside, and wouldn’t share it with anyone, wouldn’t ask for help; that she suffered all alone.

Freddie made herself a promise she wouldn’t buy her a gift, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be there for her.

Lillian seemed a little gloomy when she opened the door, but her lips twitched into a little smile when she spotted Freddie. She pulled her into a gentle hug, giving a soft sigh.

’’Am I making it worse by being here?” Freddie asked, and Lillian pulled back, giving her a soft smile.

’’Honestly, sweetheart? I think you are the only person that she would allow inside her room.”

Freddie nodded, peeking towards Joan’s room. The door was closed, even though she knew Joan preferred it open; she sighed at the knowledge of what that implied. Julian popped out from the kitchen, giving Freddie a little wave.

’’You didn’t get her presents, did you?” He asked, narrowing his eyes, and Freddie shook her head. Julian nodded, as if to give her his blessing, and Freddie sent him and Lillian one last smile before knocking on Joan’s door.

Just as she guessed it, no answer came. She swallowed thickly and opened the door, stepping inside and then closing it behind her, taking a deep breath. Joan was sitting on the bed, her back to her, headphones in. Freddie approached her carefully, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Joan whipped around, yanking her earbuds out. She blinked quickly as she looked up at Freddie, but she could see the tear tracks on her cheeks.

’’Freddie!” Joan gasped, wiping at her eyes quickly. ’’What… what are you doing here?”

Freddie swallowed, lowering herself on the bed. She tried not to break down at seeing Joan’s pale, pained expression.

’’I just… I just figured that maybe you wouldn’t want to be alone today.” Freddie said softly, reaching for Joan’s hand and lacing their fingers together. Joan let out a shaky breath, biting her lip.

’’How did you find out?” She asked, and Freddie sighed, rubbing her thumb across the back of Joan’s hand.

’’Brianna told me.” Freddie admitted, and Joan gave a bitter chuckle. Freddie shook her head, cupping Joan’s cheek and tilting her face until she looked into her eyes. She blinked rapidly to hold her own tears at bay as she saw Joan’s eyes glistening with them.

’’I just don’t want you to be alone.” Freddie said quietly, trying to ignore how her voice shook. ’’But… but if you want to be alone, then…”

Joan sighed, closing her eyes. Her tears started streaming down her face freely, and Freddie now had a really hard time to keep her composure.

’’I have always been alone…” Joan whispered, bringing up a hand and holding Freddie’s hand that was resting on her cheek, her fingers shaking against hers. ’’I didn’t wanna see anybody.”

’’You don’t have to be alone.” Freddie promised, pressing their foreheads together. ’’If you are okay with me being here, then I’m more than happy to stay as long as you want me to. To… to keep you company. But if you don’t want me here, I’ll leave. I want the best for you, Joan. I just…”

’’Shh.” Joan said softly, pressing a finger against Freddie’s lips. ’’Thank you.” She whispered, and she finally broke down sobbing, utterly breaking Freddie’s heart.

Freddie wrapped her arms around her and pulled her against her chest, letting her sob freely into her chest, as well as letting her own tears flow free. She really just wanted her girlfriend to be okay and happy, and she was willing to do anything to ensure that. Just like how Joan was always there for her, she would do the same and hold her hands through everything, if needed.

She carded her fingers through Joan’s hair, shushing her softly as Joan wrapped her arms around Freddie’s waist, clutching onto her. It felt like a milestone, in a way: Joan always acted so strong, and like nothing could really get to her. It felt like a tremendous amount of trust, sobbing into Freddie’s chest and letting her guard down completely.

’’I love you.” Freddie whispered, pressing a kiss onto the top of her head, and Joan snifled, tucking her face away in her neck.

’’I love you too.” Joan replied, giving a soft sigh against Freddie’s skin. She has stopped crying, but Freddie still held her close and safe in her arms. As long as she was around, Joan wouldn’t have to go through heartache alone.

Joan wiped at her face, pulling away softly, though she was still holding onto Freddie’s hand. She gave a wet little chuckle, shaking her head.

’’I had tears all over your top, I’m sorry.”

Freddie laughed softly, wiping the tears from under Joan’s eyes gently. ’’Don’t worry about it.”

Joan nodded, squeezing her hand tighter before lifting it to her lips, kissing her knuckles.

’’I didn’t realize someone being here could help.” Joan admitted quietly, leaning her cheek against Freddie’s hand. ’’But I think it did.”

’’I’m glad.” Freddie said, tucking a piece of hair behind Joan’s ear. ’’I just really didn’t want you to go through all that alone.”

Joan hummed, biting her lip. She was silent for a while, seemingly thinking something through, before looking up at Freddie again:

’’Would you come with me to the cemetery?”

Freddie gasped, blushing. That seemed like such an intimate thing, something she shouldn’t interfere with. She cleared her throat, tapping her fingers against Joan’s chin softly.

’’I… I don’t know, if it would be right of me to do so…” Freddie admitted, and Joan gave her a small smile, gently bopping her on the nose.

’’I would love for you to meet him.”

Freddie felt tears gather in her eyes again, but she nodded. There was a strange warmth in her chest: once again, this felt like another huge step, something she wouldn’t realize she would get when she first met Joan. It was like a testament of their love, even if this was during these sad circumstances.

Joan kissed her on the lips, shortly but with a lot of meaning, and Freddie was sure she fell in love with her even deeper then and there.

Obviously, Freddie couldn’t handle it with dry eyes. Seeing Joan putting the flowers onto her father’s grave, then grabbing her hand and leading her closer was enough emotional rollercoaster already, but then Joan started speaking:

’’Hey, Dad.” She said softly, her smile wobbly. ’’I wanted you to meet a very special someone. This is Freddie, my girlfriend, and I love her so much. She is taking care of me, so I wouldn’t be sad.”

Freddie let out a shaky breath, holding onto Joan’s arm, who wrapped an arm her shoulder, pulling her close.

’’You would really like her, I think.” Joan said with a shaky laugh. ’’You two would have so much fun together.”

Freddie wiped at her eyes, trying to get her voice to work. ’’I will keep her safe, Mr. Deacon.” Freddie promised raspily. ’’I will make sure she’s happy.”

Joan nuzzled her cheek, brushing her hair out of the way. ’’I think he would want you to call him Arthur.”

Freddie nodded with a small smile, turning around in Joan’s arms and pulling her into a hug. She smiled at the tombstone over Joan’s shoulder.

She made that promise on that day, and she was very much intent on keeping it forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I cry while writing this? Yes, yes I did.


	40. Chapter 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Joan to take back her place on the varsity team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how the entire fic started with Joan's injury? It's wild how far we have gotten since then :')

Joan’s heart was beating so fast, for a second, she was scared it might burts through her chest. Her palms were quickly growing clammy with nervous sweat, and she wiped them on her uniform, swallowing thickly.

It was still a little unbelievable: she could feel that her back was getting better and better, but actually getting the doctor’s confirmation that her spine was all healed, and she could go back to playing on the field was what really iced the cake. She was nervous, there was no need or way to deny it: she did spend quite a lot of time away from the field, and she didn’t want to think that her skills might have faded. She didn’t lose muscle mass, thanks to Freddie’s ballet lessons and the physical therapy, but she couldn’t practice as much as she wanted to, and that scared her.

It wasn’t even a real match today, just what her team called a ’’drill”, when they just played around on the field, the team members separated in two to mimic a real match: a friendly match between the members of the varsity team, if you will. But that didn’t mean Joan wasn’t nervous as hell: friendly or not, her team or not, it was still her official comeback, and she would have had to be stupid not to be totally freaked out about it.

She placed a hand on her lower back gingerly, expecting the now all too familiar pain to shoot through it, but she didn’t feel anything. Her back was healed. She was fine. The pain was over.

Joan took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. It wasn’t just the fact that she was making a comeback, but also the fear of being injured again. She did suffer injuries before, but nothing like this one, that made her sidelined for quite the large amount of time. And she definitely remembered the feeling of a shoe pushing into her back, could feel the kick that sent her flying, could feel the intense, searing pain flaring across her lower back, all too vividly, and she definitely wasn’t in the mood to relieve it again.

Someone placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she turned around, her heart immediately warming when she came face to face with a smiling Freddie. Without her, this all wouldn’t be possible. She was the reason Joan got so much better and quicker than what the doctors predicted; she was the reason Joan could once again do what she enjoyed doing the most, that she was more confident, that despite her fears and doubts, she was ready to take on the world.

She wrapped her arms around Freddie and pulled her into a hug, inhaling her sweet scent as she buried her face in her neck, nosing along the soft skin and making Freddie giggle.

’’You’re gonna be great, darling.” Freddie promised, giving Joan a soft kiss on the cheek. Joan hummed, tightening her arms around Freddie.

’’Do you have any idea, how grateful I am to have you?” Joan asked, kissing Freddie’s neck, and Freddie gave a soft noise in response, pulling back slightly to look into Joan’s eyes.

’’Really?” Freddie asked, her voice so innocently sweet, that Joan couldn’t resist kissing her deeply, one hand tangled in her shiny black locks.

’’Yes.” Joan breathed against her lips. ’’You helped me get better physically, and mentally too. I wouldn’t be here without you.”

Freddie blushed deeply, ducking her head shyly, though her eyes were shining. ’’You give me too much credit.” Freddie said softly. ’’You worked really hard, too. I was just assisting.”

’’Well, I am definitely lucky with you, is what I’m saying.” Joan chuckled softly, pecking Freddie’s lips again, her arms going around Freddie’s waist.

’’The big strong varsity player is receiving a good luck kiss from her sweet ballerina: here we can see these romantic creatures in their natural habitat.”

Freddie laughed, pulling away from Joan to snicker at Regina. Joan blinked in surprise as Brianna walked closer, hand in hand with Regina, Etta and Crystal on their side, all of them dressed in their cheerleading uniform, and Phoebe and Jenny close on their heels. She only told Freddie about this little match, how did they find out…?

She only had to take one look at Freddie’s smirk, and she rolled her eyes with a fond little smile. Of course. Why wasn’t she surprised, really?

’’I hope you don’t mind that I bought some lovely cheerleaders for you.” Brianna announced with a grin. Regina, Crystal and Etta shook their pom-poms cheerfully, and Joan chuckled in disbelief. If anyone has told her, just a couple months ago, that she was going to be friends with this whole bunch, she would either called them a total idiot or just laughed in their face. Now, here she was, being surrounded by The Clique, who literally came to cheer for her, even though what she was about to do here wasn’t all that bigger than a regular gym class.

’’Are you guys… all gonna stay, and watch me?” Joan asked, blushing deeply. She never really considered herself an emotional person, but seeing her friends all gathering up to boost her confidence was actually kind of heart-warming. No, not kind of. It really was, and Joan had the sudden urge to pull them all into a hug.

’’Is that a problem?” Phoebe asked softly. ’’Because if we bother you, we can leave.”

’’No, no.” Joan promised, sending them all a small smile. ’’I’m actually really glad you guys are here. I think it’s gonna help a lot.”

’’You will be fantastic, champ.” Brianna said softly, pulling Joan into a hug, gently patting her on the back. ’’Show them just how much better they are with their quarterback.”

Joan laughed, squeezing Brianna a little tighter before letting go, grinning back at her friends and pulling Freddie against her side.

’’Seriously, thank you for coming.” Joan said, feeling most of her tension melt away. Of course she could do this, when her gorgeous lover was right here, when her long time best friend was grinning at her from the edge of the field, and when her new friends all came along, pretty much making a fool out of themselves by jumping around despite the lack of an audience. They all loved Joan, and supported her, no matter what. Without Freddie, Brianna, and the rest of The Clique, Joan definitely wouldn’t be where she was now. It was definitely a crazy couple of months, but the results were all pretty much amazing.

’’Good luck.” Freddie said, just as the coach blew her whistle, signaling for the players to get on the field. She kissed Joan on the lips, lightly squeezing her arms, smirking as she was doing so.

’’You look steaming hot in this getup.” Freddie purred, and Joan blushed, giving her a wink.

She put her helmet on, sending one last smile to the little group, then she ran onto the field.

She never really mixed with her teammates before, but she could tell that they genuinely missed her, and she couldn’t help but feel giddy. Maybe she wasn’t even that big of a loser, as she thought. Maybe everything could be placed into a different vantage point, if she stopped having misconceptions and just lived her life without putting barriers around her.

Her teammates gently patted her on the back, congratulating her for her recovery, and the coach even pulled her into a hug.

’’I’m so glad you’re back, Deacon.” She said, and Joan was unable to stop grinning. The coach eyed The Clique at the edge of the field a little warily, but she didn’t make a comment about the commotion.

The players lined up, and Joan’s heart started racing again: it wasn’t from fear, this time. No, it was the adrenaline, the genuine happiness that she was back, and she was sorely missed, because she was a very important member of this team. She was a damn good quarterback, the team’s sometimes awkward, but brilliantly talented and strong weapon, who could won the matches for them without too big of an effort.

Joan wasn’t scared anymore, not even when she collided with the ground or her teammates during the match: her body felt better and healthier than ever before, could feel how powerful every single muscle was. From the corner of her eye, she could see Freddie bouncing up and down, her hands intertwined with Phoebe and Jenny’s. Brianna was grinning like a fool: Joan was aware her friend wasn’t all that big on football, or any sport, really, but she seemed absolutely ecstatic for Joan now. Crystal, Etta and Regina did some kind of energetic choreography that Joan couldn’t even begin to understand: all she knew is that they were there for her, only dacing and jumping around, or whatever the hell it was what they were doing, because they wanted to show their support to Joan. And if that wasn’t the biggest win, than Joan didn’t know what it was.

She was pretty much swimming in sweat by the time the match ended- she almost forgot how tiring this sport could be. Regina gave a loud cheer, and Joan grinned, feeling her heart swell from the adrenaline and pride. She squeaked when her teammates put her on their shoulder and carried her around triumphantly. They were all acting like Joan just won them the World Cup, but Joan definitely wasn’t complaining.

She looked over to her friends, catching the kiss that Freddie blew her with a giddy smile. Yes, it was them all along. The driving force behind Joan, even when she didn’t even realize it.

They made her stronger and stronger with each day, and now Joan wasn’t planning on stopping. With them, she could really win any battle, and could take on the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Joan being carried on her teammates' shoulders and catching Freddie's kiss was a direct rip-off from the Rush movie, and I have no shame about this.


	41. Chapter 41

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few interesting discoveries lead to a really fun day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter doesn't have too much plot, per se, but it's fluffy, and I think we all need a lot of that! :)

’’Would you play for me?”

Brianna cracked one eye open, glancing down at Regina in her arms. She nearly fell asleep in their domestic bliss, with her girlfriend’s warmth filling up her arms perfectly, and her peach-scented hair tickling her nose. Regina blinked up at her intently, an almost mischievous smile playing at her lips.

’’On the guitar.” Regina clarified, pointing towards the instrument that was leaning against the wall in the corner, just waiting to be played. Brianna chuckled softly, ruffling Regina’s hair, to which the blonde let out a little whine.

’’I knew that you meant the guitar.” Brianna laughed softly. ’’But where is this coming from?”

Regina shrugged, stretching out against Brianna languidly, letting out a happy sigh as her joints popped.

’’I just kept eyeing it, and then I realized that you never played for me before.” Regina explained. She sat back, looking back at Brianna with an almost challenging look.

’’So, will you play for me?”

Brianna snorted softly, sitting up against the headboard. She also stretched, lightly poking at Regina with her feet.

’’Do you wanna hear my acoustic guitar, or the electric one?” Brianna asked, and Regina’s eyes went adorably wide, her jaw all but dropping.

’’You… you have an electric guitar?” She asked, and Brianna shrugged, though she couldn’t help a proud little smile.

’’I do. We built it with my Dad.”

Regina’s jaw was pretty much at the floor at this point, and Brianna laughed, very much enjoying the fact that she managed to blow her mind away like that.

’’What kind of surprises are you still hiding?” Regina asked, shaking her head in disbelief. ’’I didn’t know you were a wild rockstar, who is also crafty as hell!”

’’Do you like the concept?” Brianna teased, and Regina grinned, nodding hastily.

’’I do, I really do. If I’d known, I would have pulled out my drumkit!”

Now it was Brianna’s turn to become completely awestruck. Seems like she wasn’t the only one hiding fun secrets from her girlfriend, after all.

’’You play the drums?” Brianna asked, and Regina shrugged, blushing softly.

’’Not that much, nowadays.” She admitted quietly. ’’My Dad didn’t like how loud it was.”

’’Wow.” Brianna chuckled, unable to stop grinning. The image of her pretty Princess banging the drums like a madwoman was hilarious, but also really, really exciting at the same time. Combined with the image of her playing guitar next to her, that was definitely something that peaked her interest.

’’I cannot believe this.” Brianna admitted with a laugh. ’’A pretty little cheerleader who is into pink and fashion, and is secretly a drummer?”

Regina grinned, lightly swatting at her. ’’Look who’s talking! The world’s biggest nerd, building an electric guitar with her own two hands. Who would have thought?”

Brianna hummed softly, pulling Regina back into her lap. She never really considered being an actual rockstar before- well, obviously, every child has that phase in their lives, but not seriously, at least not most of them-, but the idea of playing on stage with her girlfriend while people were chanting their names didn’t even sound half-bad. And Joan played bass guitar, and ever since Freddie visited her on the anniversary of her father’s death, her demeanour towards his memory changed a lot, and apparently, she did start strumming again to pass the time. Wasn’t that interesting…

’’We could make a good band.” Brianna announced with a smirk. ’’You know, you play the drums, I can play the guitar, Joan is a bassist… we don’t have a singer, though.”

’’Freddie.” Regina giggled, her cheeks turning pink in excitement. The sudden discovery, that her girlfriend was also musically inclined, seemed to really get her gears going.

’’She sings beautifully. You should hear her. Shit, had I known this before, we would have started a band!”

Brianna laughed, pulling Regina into a kiss. It wasn’t really working out, though, because they were both grinning too much in excitement.

’’Let’s gather them, right now.” Regina grinned, bouncing on Brianna’s lap. ’’We could go over to my house, my drumkit is in the garage. Get your electric guitar, baby, and let’s make music!”

Brianna laughed, her face nearly aching with her wide grin. Regina’s happiness over this uncovered secret was infectious; but then again, Brianna was quite excited about it in the first place, too. It wasn’t as if they all didn’t need to blow off some steam after everything they have went through, and before the exams started coming up.

’’You know what?” Brianna giggled, kissing Regina on the nose. 

’’Let’s do it.”

Regina squealed and clapped her hands, and Brianna felt her chest tingle with excitement.

She wasn’t really surprised that Regina’s kit was a damn professional one: her family could definitely afford it. It was all the more sadder to think that Regina had to abandon this amazing instrument, because her Dad decided drums were too loud.

’’When did you learn to play?” Brianna asked while she tuned her guitar. She whistled appreciatively when Regina twirled her drumsticks with ease, before catching them right away. It was clear, that her skills didn’t fade, luckily.

’’I was five when I started.” Regina said, brushing some dust off the pedals. ’’I played almost every single day until the age of fifteen, then my Dad demanded I’d bring it out here. And even after that he was being an asshole about it, because apparently, he could hear it inside the house. Honestly, I guess he just didn’t want me to have anything that would make me really happy.”

Brianna hummed, watching as Regina fiddled and tweaked with something. She definitely seemed to be an expert at it- it would have been a real tragedy, letting that talent go to waste.

’’Is this where we can audition for the band?”

They turned around to see Joan and Freddie walk in, hand in hand, Joan’s bass in its case over her back. Brianna grinned, feeling her chest fill with warmth. It was amazing to know that Joan felt much better emotionally, and that she could play the bass again. Brianna didn’t have any doubt, that it was mostly Freddie’s doing: without her, this really wouldn’t have happened. To think, that both her and her best friend fell for the most unlikely candidates, for girls they resented before, and that they both ended up in the happiest relationships they could even imagine, was still insane, but Brianna was definitely not complaining.

’’Welcome to my studio.” Regina grinned, gesturing around the garage. ’’How do you like it?”

’’The acoustics will be shitty.” Freddie teased, blowing Regina a kiss when she flipped her the bird. ’’But hey,” Freddie continued with a grin, ’’I didn’t even think you would play the drums again, darling!”

’’Just how I never thought you would play the bass again.” Brianna said, sending a smile to Joan who shrugged, a pink blush dusting her cheeks.

’’People change, don’t they?” She asked, her smile widening, and Brianna nodded. That was definitely true.

’’God, we’re really doing this, aren’t we?” Freddie giggled, her eyes bright in excitement. ’’We are creating a band!”

’’Well, we all gotta have some fun.” Regina grinned, lightly tapping Freddie on the butt with her drumstick.

’’What are we gonna play for our first ever get-together?” Joan asked, unzipping the case and pulling out her bass. ’’Anything you folks have in mind?”

’’Why don’t we start with something we all know? Like, I don’t know, classics? The Beatles?” Brianna suggested.

’’Ooh, retro.” Regina grinned, giving her drum an experimental thud. ’’I love the way you think.”

’’Mhm, me too.” Freddie giggled, hopping onto a stool with such elegance, Brianna couldn’t help but grin. That girl was really born to be on stage, whether as a dancer or a singer, it didn’t even matter.

’’Alright, let’s do this.” Joan chimed in, grabbing her bass with a determined look.

’’Here Comes The Sun for a soft start, before we let it rock?”

Regina gave a thumbs up, and Brianna and Freddie nodded, all of them eager to start with it.

To be honest, Brianna didn’t think it was going to be this good. She knew, without any arrogance, that she was a good guitarist, and she was aware that Joan could play the bass like a pro, but she never would have thought they were going to sound so great together.

Joan and Regina quickly found each other, rhythym-wise, harmonizing so well that Brianna was absoloutely blown away. She watched as her girlfriend and best friend built the perfect rhythym section, the heavy base that she could lean on.

Speaking of Regina, she was a fantastic drummer. Even after not playing for such a long time, her moves were easy and fluid, every thud and bang perfectly in place, giving their makeshift little band the steady heartbeat that it wouldn’t work without.

And Freddie was simply amazing. When Regina said that she is a good singer, Brianna thought she meant a fairly good one, but no, Freddie sounded like a freaking angel had just descended down from the Heavens. Her voice was clear and strong, and had so many layers, that Brianna could only stare in awe. She could go from high falsetto to raspy lows with a flick of the wrist, as if it was childplay to her.

Then Regina came in with her raspy backing vocals, and Brianna felt her skin break out in delighted goosebumps. It sounded so amazing, the way her higher voice cut through Freddie’s vocals, all of that supported with the heavy thud of the drums and the pulsating bass from Joan’s part. She was clearly faring quite well herself, if the proud looks of Regina and the other two were any indication.

’’Take it, Brianna!” Freddie yelled, and Brianna chuckled. Yes, she was right. That girl definitely belonged on the stage; but maybe all of them did.

Brianna was quite proud of her solo. Truth be told, she did like showing off a little bit, but hey, if you’re good at something, don’t be too coy about it, right? So that’s what she did, showing off and blowing everyone else’s minds away.

They ended up doing an entire medley, and they didn’t even realize that it got dark outside by the time they were finished. Brianna wiped some sweat off her brow, unable to stop grinning.

’’Here comes the Sun, there goes the Sun.” Regina joked as she noticed the darkness outside. She grinned widely, looking over the other three proudly.

’’Holy shit, guys.” She giggled. ’’This was amazing!”

’’We should really make a band!” Joan chittered, carefully putting her bass away. ’’We could have it as a side project. Just imagine it: we would all have our jobs, but we would occassionally play in pubs and stuff. How fun would that be!?”

’’Yes!” Freddie squealed, hopping off the stool lightly. ’’I could design ourselves a logo! Just imagine it, darlings. Imagine our story! The girls, who were initially rivals, then fell in love, then became friends, and made a band! I mean, even if it’s just a side project, it’s still pretty amazing!”

’’It is.” Brianna admitted softly. Maybe the rockstar life wasn’t really for them, but she could definitely see it work, them playing in pubs and giving small concerts…

’’And what is our name?” Joan asked, pulling Freddie close against her side, making her grin brightly.

’’King.” Freddie said, giggling when she saw the confused look on her friend’s faces. ’’What? It’s short, but attention-grabbing, regal and elegant, outrageous and unexpected!”

Regina laughed, slipping off her stool and walking over to Brianna, leaning her cheek on her shoulder with a tired little smile.

’’I like it.” She said softly, and Brianna smiled, kissing the top of her head.

’’Well, we are not ordinary, that’s for sure.” Brianna said, and her friends all hummed in agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just had to, okay?


	42. Chapter 42

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls attend a party, and Joan makes a big decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look who's back! I have to apologize, I'm practically drowning in schoolwork, and I don't have too much motivation in general, but I'm trying my best!
> 
> This chapter contains some sex talk, but there is absolutely nothing explicit- but I'm putting it here, just in case.

About half a year ago, Joan and Brianna would have never even considered going to a high school party: first of all, there were way too many people there, people that they didn’t wanna mix with, thank you very much. Second, the music they usually played never exactly fitted the palette Joan and Brianna preferred to listen to. And lastly, they would have had to actually leave the comfort of their rooms to attend one, and that was a simply atrocious concept for someone as introverted as them.

Things have changed, though.

They met a few people they made really good friends with, and they fell in love, admittedly with girls who were nothing like them- if anything, these factors together made it all the much easier to pull those two out of their shells, and show them that isolating yourself from other people constantly, and looking down on everyone else with a judgemental eye wasn’t the way to go about things.

So, here they were, about to walk into a party, which, according to Etta, was the- ’’let’s say goodbye to our old high school days- and possibly our virginities, if we haven’t done that already-, and let’s welcome the impending adult life” – party.

They met up at the city centre before they moved onto to Bernie’s house where the party was held. Most of them still couldn’t quite figure that boy out: he was such a delicate mix between The Clique- style popular kid, and the good-hearted weirdo like Joan and Brianna. Anyways, he was nice, his house was big, and Etta wouldn’t let them say no, so they found themselves on his porch quite quickly.

To be honest, Joan had a hard time keeping her eyes off Freddie: she was wearing a gorgeous purple top with a tight leather skirt, her eyes lined generously with kohl, her hair falling past her shoulders in their natural wave instead of being straightened as usual, and Joan just couldn’t stop staring. Freddie sent her a little smile, and Joan couldn’t resist leaning in and nosing along her neck.

’’I see someone is taking Etta’s ’let’s lose our virginity’ announcement a little seriously.” Crystal teased, and Joan immediately turned crimson red. Freddie only giggled softly, patting the back of her hand. She turned to Crystal, giving her a slightly challenging look.

’’Are you jealous, my Dear?” She asked in an overly posh way, making the rest of the group laugh. ’’I bet you’re wishing you could lose yours tonight… with Bernie, perhaps?”

Crystal made a miserable choking sound, Regina wolf-whistled, and Etta gave them a knowing look. Bernie chose this moment to open the front door for them, giving them a bright grin.

’’Did I hear my name?” He asked good-naturedly, and the girls all snickered, sending side glances towards Crystal, who definitely seemed to be contemplating the murder of all of her friends.

’’We were just talking about how sweet of you it is, that you invited us to your party.” Phoebe chirped, gracefully saving the situation and ensuring that she would be spared from Crystal’s wrath.

Bernie hummed, his eyes going to Crystal, and he blushed deeply. ’’You look really nice, Crystal.” He stammered, turning an even deeper shade of red.

Freddie snickered softly, gently elbowing Joan and leaning close to her ear. ’’Do you think they will ever hook up, for real?”

Joan chuckled, wrapping an arm around Freddie and pulling her close, sending the awkward pair another glance.

’’I hope so. They would make a cute couple.”

Bernie finally tore his away from Crystal, and he sent them another grin, opening the door fully and with a dramatic gesture.

’’Welcome to my mansion!”

’’Nerd.” Brianna joked, and Regina stuck her tongue out at her, lightly swatting at her arm.

They all made their way inside, except for Etta, who claimed to be waiting for a certain someone; no matter how mysterious she acted, all of her friends knew whom she was waiting for.

’’I hope when Dinah gets here, you will introduce us to her properly.” Regina teased, and Etta flipped her the bird, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment.

They didn’t know most of the people inside, considering most of them were from Bernie’s school: a few of them came from Leroy Brown’s High, though. Joan could spot a few of her teammates, and she sent them a small wave.

’’Do you know what’s so great about being finally eighteen?” Jenny perked up with a grin. ’’We can legally drink, folks!”

She immediately retrieved a plastic cup from the counter, filling it with beer and passing it to Phoebe, before she started handing them out to the other ones.

’’Easy.” Joan laughed, placing a hand on her shoulder when the beer started overflowing from Jenny’s haste. ’’Do you want to get everyone drunk?”

Jenny sent her a look that meant that it was obvious, and so Joan shrugged, letting her continue with her antics. They really did deserve to blow off some steam, to be honest: only a few months have remained until their final exams, and during all the stress from picking out colleges was weighing them down. It was really time they had some fun together, without worrying over their future.

Joan watched as Freddie leaned against the counter, chatting with Phoebe and Regina, and she felt her cheeks warm up. Freddie was truly, utterly gorgeous- Joan was aware of that, of course, but sometimes it seemed like her beauty has amplified tenfolds. It definitely wasn’t just because of the beer Joan was slowly sipping on. No, maybe it had all to do with the fact that Joan felt finally ready to take their relationship to the next level.

She did feel awkward for avoiding sex for so long, but truth be told, she was nervous. She hasn’t even dated anyone before Freddie, meaning she had little to no experience when it came to intimacy. Then, there was the fact that Freddie wasn’t a virgin, and Joan was sure she must have expectations. Freddie did assure her a lot, that she could wait until Joan was ready; and Joan didn’t feel ready for quite a long time. But lately, she has been having more and more thoughts, and then Etta made that joke, and she immediately felt something tingle inside her, and now Freddie looked so hot…

Someone placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she turned around to meet Jenny and Brianna’s eyes, both of them smirking almost mischievously.

’’What?” Joan asked, blushing when Brianna gave her a knowing look.

’’Are you contemplating doing it tonight?” She asked, and Joan nearly choked on her beer, coughing miserably. Jenny patted her on the back, which just made her choke even more.

’’Uhm… I… I don’t know.” Joan croaked, wiping her mouth. She glanced towards Freddie again; she was lost in the conversation with her friends, and it pretty much seemed like she was trying to feed Regina a caviar sandwich, while Phoebe laughed her ass off watching them. So, she definitely wasn’t listening on, thank God.

’’You don’t need to force it.” Jenny said softly, gently taking the cup out of Joan’s hand and putting it down before Joan could keep choking on it. ’’If you’re not ready, you really shouldn’t. You know that Etta was just joking.”

’’It’s not about the joke.” Joan admitted, turning red to the tips of her ears. ’’I’ve been…I’ve been thinking about it. And I think I’m ready, I mean, I really want to do it now, I just don’t know how to approach it.”

’’Whisper it into her ear.” Brianna teased, ducking away from the rolled up napkin Joan tried to throw at her in the very last moment. ’’What? It works!”

’’Does it?” Joan asked, and Brianna blushed softly, glancing towards Regina before she turned her attention back to Joan.

’’It does.” She admitted quietly. ’’I mean, it… it worked for us, I guess. Well, we did have sex, so I assume it worked.”

Joan hummed, drumming on the edge of the table with her fingers. It sounded so easy, but was it really that easy? Could she really just walk up to Freddie and tell her that she wanted to do it? Was that the right way to go about it?

’’What if I mess up?” Joan blurted out, feeling her stomach twist with anxiety at the thought. Freddie deserved the best of everything: she deserved someone who could show her a really good time, and to think that she wouldn’t be able to, terrified her to no end.

Jenny placed a friendly hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. Her lips curled into a small smile. ’’Don’t sweat it, Joan.” She said softly. ’’The first time is always a little awkward for everyone, even if you did have some experience beforehand. I mean, I couldn’t unclasp Phoebe’s bra, and so I ended up pulling on it like a madman, and I tore it in half. It was her favorite one, as I’ve later learned.”

Joan couldn’t help but laugh, and Brianna snickered too, making Jenny roll her eyes and shrug.

’’I know, I know. What I’m saying, is that you don’t need to worry about it, Joan. Freddie knows that you don’t have too much experience. She won’t berate you if you don’t give her an Earth-shattering orgasm right off the bat.”

’’Just experiment.” Brianna added softly. ’’You will find out what you both like, how your bodies work with each other and stuff. It’s much better if you don’t overthink it. Just… feel.”

’’You, of all people, telling me not to overthink it.” Joan scoffed, though she couldn’t help but smile. She definitely needed this little pep talk: if even Jenny could mess up, then she was allowed to make mistakes too. And they were right about Freddie probably not freaking out if she is not being that good; she would never make fun of her for something like that.

She glanced over the crowd, feeling her heart thud to the beat of the music that was playing. Most couples were dancing and grinding on each other, including Etta and Dinah. Regina quickly swooped in and dragged Brianna onto the dancefloor, making her let out an awkward squeak. Jenny shrugged, giving Joan another encouraging look before she grabbed Phoebe. Joan could see Crystal and Bernie making some kind of akward small talk in the corner, and she scoffed. Those two needed to get it on, for real.

When she turned back, Freddie was standing before her, her eyes glinting in the dim light. Joan couldn’t stop herself from grinning when Freddie reached for her, placing her small hand into Joan’s.

’’Wanna dance?” Freddie asked, and Joan couldn’t help but notice the little teasing edge in her voice. She nodded lamely, letting herself be pulled along, her eyes fixated on the sway of Freddie’s hips.

She felt her entire body heating up when Freddie wrapped her arms around her neck, giving her a look that made the blood boil in Joan’s veins. They just swayed softly together, but Joan was already getting quite dizzy.

’’Are you okay?” Freddie asked, and Joan nodded hastily, twirling Freddie around. She was more than okay: she had the world’s most beautiful girl, her girlfriend in her arms. Of course she was okay.

She swallowed thickly when Freddie turned around in her arms, grinding her butt against her crotch. Oh, yes. She was absolutely, totally okay.

Joan placed her hands on Freddie’s hips, lightly moving with her. She nuzzled her neck, inhaling her sweet scent. She just couldn’t get enough of this girl, couldn’t wait to feel her, touch her like that, to show her how much she adored her, to give them both an amazing time. She trusted Freddie, more than anyone else: there wasn’t anyone in the whole world Joan would rather have it happen, than with this sweet, gentle, fantastic girl.

’’I’m ready.” She blurted out before she could stop herself, and Freddie turned around, giving her a curious look, before the realization sparked in her eyes.

’’For…?”

’’Yes.” Joan said, wrapping her arms around Freddie’s waist and pulling her close. Freddie gave her a small smile, cupping her cheek.

’’It’s not the alcohol talking, right?”

’’No, not at all.” Joan promised. ’’I’m not even tipsy. I just… want you, Freddie.”

She blushed deeply in the end, but she didn’t back out. Freddie waited a few moments, probably giving her time to change her mind, then she nodded, grabbing Joan’s hand.

’’I heard there’s a guest room upstairs, if you’re really sure.”

Joan nodded eagerly, and Freddie pecked her on the lips sweetly before she pulled her along, trodding up the stairs. Joan was fairly certain that their friends saw it, and knew what they were up to right away, but she didn’t care. She just wanted Freddie.

Once the door closed behind them, Freddie cupped her cheeks again, looking into her eyes intently. She rubbed Joan’s cheekbones with her thumbs gently, and Joan could feel herself relax.

’’Are you really sure?” Freddie asked softly, and Joan nodded, placing her hands back on Freddie’s hips, giving them a squeeze.

’’Yes.” She breathed, and Freddie smiled, pulling her into a kiss; that one was a little hungrier, a little more fiery than before, and Joan found herself lost in it quickly.

It was time, but not because everyone else was doing it, or because she was worried Freddie would get bored: it was time, because Joan felt like it, because both of them felt like it. They wanted each other, and so they had each other, ignoring the loud music pouring in from under the door, or the harsh bark of laughter from the guests.

All they cared about was each other, just like it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I told you that I would die for Freddie and Joan?
> 
> Also I really miss house parties


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Clique does some match-making.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I told you that the last about ten chapters would be just cheesy fluff? I'm keeping my word ;)
> 
> Also, where did everyone go? I really miss your comments, please come back :(

The table practically shook under the weight of the mountain of papers Etta threw onto it, successfully startling her friends. Brianna nearly spat at her coffee, no doubt on the verge of a heart attack.

’’Jesus Christ, what the Hell!?” Jenny groaned, clutching a hand over her chest and glaring up at Etta, who didn’t seem too phased about scaring the shit out of her friends: if anything, she was straight up smirking.

’’I have plans, my lovely ladies.” Etta grinned, putting her hands on her hips and straightening her back, looking over the rest of the table with a proud look. ’’Amazing plans.”

’’That’s what’s in those papers?” Regina asked, eyeing the stacks on the table suspciously. It wasn’t really like Etta to go secretary-mode and churn out documents that even law firms would be jealous of.

Etta nodded hastily, giving out an excited little squeak. She quickly turned around, as if to check that no one was listening, then she turned back to her friends.

’’We need go over them before Crystal gets here.”

A low murmur ran through The Clique, and Etta giggled, clapping her hands together in excitement. Freddie’s eyes lit up, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips as she looked up at Etta.

’’Oh, my God.” Freddie giggled, nearly bouncing on her seat. ’’Is it about…?”

Etta nodded, and her and Freddie let out a little shriek at the same time, clutching onto each other’s hands excitedly, confusing the others even more.

’’Excuse me,” Joan perked up with a frown, ’’what exactly are we talking about here?”

Etta gave her a look that immediately made Joan feel quite stupid, especially as she put her hands on her hips with a little huff.

’’No offence, Joan, but don’t be daft, okay?”

Freddie saw her confusion and she quickly rushed to her help, grinning fit to burst all the while.

’’We’re gonna set Crystal and Bernie up with each other, for real now!”

A unified gasp could be heard across the table, and Etta looked utterly smug with herself, while Freddie looked like she was about to float away in any second, absolutely thrilled about the idea.

’’Oh, it’s really time.” Regina scoffed, though there was a fond little smile playing on her lips. ’’I thought they were going to hook up at the party!”

’’I kind of spied on them.” Phoebe said, rolling her eyes. ’’There was a second when it looked like they were finally going to kiss, and then… nothing.”

’’All they need is a little push.” Etta said, poking at the papers. ’’These are my strategy.”

’’Since when do you write anything on paper?” Regina laughed, and Etta stuck her nose in the air, giving a little shrug.

’’Desperate times call for dramatic measures. And, uhm… maybe Dinah suggested it, apparently it’s more efficient than writing on a laptop or something.” She blushed heavily at the end, and the girls all wolf-whistled and grinned to further her embarrassment.

’’Okay, you really need to introduce this girl to us, like, for real.” Freddie cooed, making Etta swat at her lightly. ’’What? We’re curious!”

’’As soon as she gets over her initial fright, I will.” Etta promised, making her friends all let out a unified ’’aww”. Etta scoffed, turning an even deeper shade of red.

’’Whatever, it’s about Crystal and Bernie now, okay? They need to date, but they are too chicken about it, and we need figure something out before they grow old without hooking up with each other!”

’’What is the big plan?” Brianna asked, picking up the paper closest to her. She let out a groan after she skimmed through it, giving Etta a pointed look.

’’Lock them together in the same room, where they will be forced to talk about their feelings? That’s genius.”

Joan cleared her throat loudly, raising an eyebrow at her friend. ’’Uhm, do you not remember, that two someones locked two other someones together in a classroom, so they could finally put their ridiculous rivalry aside, and make up? And now those certain someones are dating?”

Freddie giggled, and Regina and Brianna turned crimson red.

’’Yeah, that was quite drastic.” Regina admitted, smiling when she looked up at Brianna. ’’But it was worth it.”

Brianna cooed, leaning in and planting a kiss onto her lips, making Regina practically melt against her.

’’See?” Freddie grinned, gesturing at the kissing couple. ’’That works!”

’’Well, maybe we could also just… try and talk to them about it?” Phoebe tried, but Etta shook her head, giving an exasperated sigh.

’’I did try to talk to the both of them, but all they do is blush and get all giggly- no real answer, though. They are both idiots.”

They were silent for a while, contemplating what to do. They all wanted what was best for both Crystal and Bernie, and it was painfully obvious they liked each other, they were just too scared to act on their feelings- considering how easily Crystal could clam up in stressful situations, and how awkward Bernie could sometimes be, it really was a possibility that those two will play an embarrassing tango around each other for the rest of their lives, without actually meeting in the middle. They really needed to act up, if they wanted them to admit their feelings for each other.

’’You know, there is that saying, that the first thought is the best thought.” Jenny perked up, nodding towards the paper that Brianna had discovered. ’’So, I’m saying, into the room with those two, lock the door on them and call it a day.”

’’What else do you have, by the way?” Brianna asked. Etta chuckled, waving around the next paper.

’’Stuff like pushing Crystal down the stairs and making sure that Bernie is standing at the bottom, hoping she would fall straight into his arms… but in retrospect, I think this could be a little bit dangerous.”

’’Think?” Joan chuckled softly. ’’Yeah, that’s totally not the right way to go about this, I’m sorry.”

Etta hummed, looking over the large stack of papers on the table, frowning. Maybe producing that much was a foolish idea, and ultimately, not even leading them anywhere.

’’So, I assume we’re going with the first option?”

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Etta clapped again, grinning from ear to ear. They all had a hard time masking their excitement when Crystal eventually showed up, eyeing the mess on the table suspiciously.

’’What’s all this?” She asked, looking awfully confused when her friends all giggled.

’’Oh, it’s nothing, darling.” Freddie grinned, sending a subtle wink at Etta who smirked, patting the oblivious Crystal on the back.

Their eventual plan was to invite them all to Etta’s house for a supposed grill party, get Crystal and Bernie together, then shut the door on them and hope that they will end up making out rather than freaking out.

Bernie looked a little suspicious when he couldn’t see the grill in the garden, and he turned to Etta with a little frown.

’’Uhm… so when is the party starting?”

’’Soon, soon.” Etta grinned, placing one hand on Bernie’s, and the other on Crystal’s back, all but pushing them inside the house. ’’We need to get a few things before that, okay?”

The rest of The Clique followed close on their heels, grinning all the way. Joan literally had to cover Freddie’s mouth with her hand, because she was giggling so much that it would have totally blown their cover.

’’If they still don’t end up together today, I’m going crazy.” Brianna chuckled quietly, squeezing Regina’s hand. ’’I mean, it worked for us, didn’t it?”

Regina blushed and nodded, her lips curling into a smile. Now, there was the hope that it would work for their friends, too.

’’Why are we going to your room, Etta?” Crystal asked suspiciously, but Etta just tutted, continuing to push them forward.

’’We need to gather a few things, as I said, and they are in my room.” Etta said with a bright grin, causing the pair to scoff.

’’You keep stuff for the grill in your room?” Bernie asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

’’Of course she does.” Phoebe said, shaking her head at Bernie. ’’Are you trying to tell me that you DON’T keep grill-stuff in your room!?”

’’Yeah, Bernie, that’s weird.” Jenny added, and everyone else tutted, pretending like having the equipment for a grill party in a teenage girl’s room was normal, and poor Bernie started to look like he was nearing a stroke. He wasn’t the only one.

’’It’s not weird, what is going on?” Crystal squeaked, but Etta just relentlessly pushed them forward, until they reached her room.

’’You guys please go forward, you are both tall. It’s on the top shelf.”

When the utterly confused duo stepped into the room, helplessly looking around for the non-existent grill, The Clique sprung into action and locked the door as quickly and as silently as they could.

’’Now, we just have to wait.” Freddie announced with a grin, pulling Joan with her who giggled, giving Freddie’s hip a playful squeeze.

’’Good old times, huh?” She teased, remembering the day they locked Regina and Brianna together and spied on them, then sprinted away like two madwomen after they let them out, trying to outrun their doom in case their friends wanted to murder them.

They all tip-toed down the stairs, muffling their laughs in their hands when they heard someone helplessly banging on the door.

’’Oh, no,” Regina grinned mischievously, ’’you are not coming out until you proposed to each other.”

They waited in the kitchen, anxiously checking the clock. It has been about an hour since they locked Bernie and Crystal together, and they didn’t hear anything that indicated that maybe they have broken free.

’’They didn’t escape through the window, did they?” Freddie asked nervously, and Etta shook her head, tapping her fingers against her glass in anticipation.

’’I doubt it. Bernie is scared of heights, there’s no way that guy would ever try to climb out of there.”

’’Maybe we should check on them?” Jenny suggested, jerking her head towards the stairs. ’’You know, to see what they are up to?”

’’I hope they still have their clothes on, I don’t wanna be traumatized.” Regina chuckled, and the little team all rose to their feet, sneaking towards the stairs.

They couldn’t hear anything, so they walked up the stairs quietly, trying not to disturb the –now, hopefully- lovers.

Etta grabbed her key and unlocked the door as quietly as possible, opening it just enough so they could poke their heads inside.

A huge grin spread on all of their faces, and they could only hold back their squeals with sheer willpower when they spotted Crystal on Bernie’s lap, kissing him with her hands tangled in his hair, why Bernie’s hands rested on her hips. Luckily, they were both clothed.

They must have still made some kind of excited noise, because the couple broke apart, gasping and blushing when they noticed their friends grinning in the doorway.

’’You guys are such assholes!” Crystal squeaked, but her lips twitched into a smile. Bernie chuckled, elegantly flipping them the bird.

’’That was the plan, huh?” He asked, nodding towards Crystal on his lap with a smile.

’’I’m glad you two finally came to your senses.” Etta grinned proudly. Bernie and Crystal blushed again, but the look they gave each other was positively lovesick.

’’Aw, you two really make a cute couple!” Freddie cooed, and the rest of the team clearly agreed, all of them grinning at the pair.

Maybe they needed some nudging, but they finally hit it off, so all in all, it was another successful day for The Clique.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now they have a straight couple in the group too!
> 
> Also, don't ask me how I came up with this pairing, it came to me in a dream


	44. Chapter 44

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a huge date where everyone is happy and in love, nothing more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fluff slipped out again :')

Foster’s Pizza was practically swarming with students; everyone was feeling the typical, vibrant vibe of last year- just about a month now, and their years of being high school students were officially over. As stressful as it was, it was also exciting: even though most of them had reached eighteen in the meantime, they still pretty much felt like awkward teenagers, not knowing how to navigate themselves through life just yet. Their last exams, and their last year in general marked the beginning for ’’real” adulthood, something all of them both dreaded and were thrilled about at the same time. These mixed emotions- the excitement and feeling ready to move on, and the constant stress which they definitely needed release from- brought them all out to enjoy the company of their friends on that warm Friday evening.

It wasn’t easy to find a table like that, especially for ten people. It was still insane to think that they were all friends: just months ago, they had an awkward double date at the same place, four oblivious idiots trying to make sense of their feelings and move over their slightly tainted past. And now, they made up the biggest gang in the whole school; sometimes it still felt like a slightly ridiculous, but nonetheless thrilling fever dream.

’’I hope Etta and her girlfriend will get here soon.” Jenny said, pulling Phoebe’s chair out for her with a smile. ’’With that many guests, I wouldn’t be surprised if they just took the empty chairs.”

’’I can’t wait to get to know her.” Freddie said, grinning with obvious excitement. ’’I mean, I met her in passing when we were getting ready for Romeo and Juliet, but I didn’t really get the chance to actually talk to her.”

’’She seems sweet.” Brianna said, taking a sip of her drink. They were all pretty excited about finally meeting the girl who stole Etta’s heart.

’’And they seem pretty serious.” Bernie added, grinning. ’’Considering that Etta hasn’t immediately thrusted her new girl into everyone’s faces, I think she really means a lot to her.”

’’Oh, totally. I can hear wedding bells already.” Regina joked, making her friends giggle in agreement. It was the truth, after all: Etta hasn’t really had all that many serious relationships before, and Bernie definitely did have a point about Dinah being the one for her. 

’’It was about time we all found someone.” Crystal said softly, blushing when Bernie grinned and pressed a kiss onto her cheek, making everyone else coo.

’’You guys are so adorable together.” Joan said with a grin, watching them fondly. Crystal almost seemed rough at times: Joan couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that she was a dainty cheerleader, all the while swearing like a sailor all the time. With Bernie, though, she transformed into the sweetest marshmallow, all but melting in his arms, and Joan was really happy for them. At first, she didn’t think she could even make friends with Crystal, and now she was cooing over her new relationship. But then again, she didn’t think she would be friends with any of them, and would be happily dating Freddie, so once again, her assumptions were wrong.

’’Yeah, and you can thank me for my fantastic ideas on putting them together.”

They looked up at the familiar voice, grinning when they spotted Etta standing by their table, hand in hand with Dinah. They looked absolutely adorable together: Dinah was a little taller, and yet, Etta placed herself sort of before her like a protective shield, and the girls and Bernie all shared a knowing look. Yes, this really did seem serious.

’’Well, hello, there.” Freddie said softly, and Dinah gave her a small smile, while Etta blushed- not exactly a common occurence, and further proof that this wasn’t just a fling.

’’Guys, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend officially.” Etta announced, her lips curling into a positively lovesick smile as she smiled up at Dinah. 

’’Finally.” Regina added with a fond little scoff, and Etta rolled her eyes.

’’I’m Dinah, it’s really nice to meet all of you.” She said, giving them all such a kind smile, that they couldn’t be wary of her even if they tried. She just really seemed like a sweet girl, all in all.

’’The feeling’s mutual.” Phoebe said softly, giving Dinah an encouraging little smile. ’’We kept asking this idiot to introduce us officially, and yet, she just cowered away like the scared little mouse she is.”

’’Thanks for ruining my reputation, Phoebe.” Etta scoffed, flipping her the bird, but she did grin when Phoebe blew her a playful kiss.

’’We did meet, sort of.” Dinah said, smiling at both Phoebe and Freddie. ’’You two were so amazing in that play!”

’’Aw, thank you Dear.” Freddie grinned, and Joan chuckled when she puffed her chest out a little bit. She was usually humble, but she was very much aware of her abilities, and she liked being showered in praises- something Joan always made good use of.

’’You like her already, huh?” She chuckled into Freddie’s ear, and she gave a little shrug and a smile.

Dinah and Etta took their seats next to Phoebe and Jenny after they went through the rounds of getting to know everyone’s names, unable to stop smiling all the while. Dinah seemed a little embarrassed, but that was to be expected when being introduced to your girlfriend’s best friend. Etta was positively glowing: she threw an arm around Dinah, looking very proud, and none of them blamed her for it.

’’Is it safe to assume that there are no single ladies or gentlemen in the group?” Dinah asked with a playfuly little smile, raking her eyes over the obvious couples, making them all laugh softly.

’’Sharp eye.” Brianna grinned, pulling Regina closer against her side. ’’There are a few stories here that could make good, cheesy rom-com material.”

’’Well, love is a funny thing, that’s for sure.” Freddie chuckled, giving Joan a soft look, making her blush softly.

’’So, Freddie and Joan.” Dinah hummed softly. ’’And Regina and Brianna, Phoebe and Jenny, and Crystal and Bernie.”

’’That’s right.” Bernie said proudly, lifting Crystal’s hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles gently. ’’Though we needed a little bit more pushing than everyone else here.”

’’Well… not really.” Joan laughed, making Freddie, Brianna and Regina giggle too. 

’’Let’s just say, we weren’t exactly on friendly terms at first.” She explained when she saw Dinah’s slightly confused look.

’’Fun stories?” Dinah grinned, and the couples all shared mischievous looks.

Thus, the conversation turned to how each of them fell in love with each other, absolutely blowing the ’’new girl’s” mind.

’’… so, I asked her to help in Physics, and you know what she said? That I should carry her stuff and make her lunch, and she was just such an asshole towards me, even when I was ready to make amends…!”

’’… I was a meme, my head was on a giraffe’s body, okay? It looked really stupid, and I was so mad at her! So, I mean, it made sense that I didn’t like her at first …”

’’… I had a crush on her for quite some time before that, and then my teacher just rolls in and tells me that I have to give my crush ballet lessons! Imagine the heart attack, I almost passed out when she appeared in the ballet room, tall, pretty, and very, very dark and grumpy …”

’’… I did have some misconceptions, truth be told. I didn’t want anything to do with her first, but those puppy eyes, and that sweetness that she constantly radiated …”

’’… she actually dated Freddie before me, and I was scared that it could be considered cheating, because you know, dating your best friend’s ex? But she was so chill about it …!”

’’… Joan thought that I would go back to dating Freddie for some reason, and she pretty much hated me, even though I made it very clear that I love Phoebe, and she just went a little ballistic, no offense, it was weird …”

’’… she kept insisting that we should hook up, but I was scared, okay? I mean, look at him, isn’t he handsome? I said, no Etta, leave us alone, for fuck’s sake…!”

’’… and then they locked the door on us! I mean, obviously, it was a nice thing, after all, considering that it finally made us confess our feelings to each other, but still, how drastic…!”

Dinah stared, her jaw pretty much at the floor as she listened to the group rambling about their girlfriends and boyfriends, going into details about how they met, how their relationships developed through the months- Brianna was really right about the rom-com material. Being in the drama club, Dinah could easily see a play coming out of these hilarious snippets that she just listened to.

’’So, after having heard all of that, I guess our story is pretty tame.” Etta chuckled, kissing Dinah on the forehead and making her smile.

’’Yeah, I just helped Etta with a lit project.” Dinah laughed softly. ’’No rivalry, no exes-being-best-friends-fusions, no bullying, jealousy and being locked in a room together.”

’’It’s still a lovely story, no matter what.” Freddie promised, making the couple smile.

Dinah fitted right into their little group: she was a little shy at first, but then she relaxed, laughing unabashedly at The Clique’s antics. They spent a really nice evening at Foster’s Pizza: they stayed until closing, talking and laughing and making out with their respective partners until they were practically thrown out by the exasperated restaurant owner.

They went for a nice walk before they parted ways, holding their lovers’ hands and enjoying the late Spring warmth. They all felt free, happy and utterly in love, thoroughly enjoying each other’s company: in moments like this, they were a little disappointed that they only got so close in their last year together, but better late than never, right?

Not to mention, considering how happy they were all together, it was obvious they wouldn’t cut ties, no matter where life would take them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would die for The Clique, but that is not news.


	45. Chapter 45

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domestic bliss and family barbecues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when we said that the parents need to bond during more happy circumstances? Well, here we are!
> 
> This is a little short, but I hope the fluff makes up for it :3

Honestly, they all thought it was going to be awkward- wasn’t there like a general consensus that parents had a tendency to embarrass their teenage kids in front of their significant others, especially when more sets of parents came together? But things went surprisingly smoothly, to their biggest relief.

The idea sprung out of Ruth’s mind, who was still not over the fact that her daughter has finally found the one, and wanted to use every oppurtinity under the Sun to coo over Brianna and Regina, all the while making connections with the other parents. She made great friends with not only Winifred, but Jer, Bomi and Lillian too, and thus, they ended up having a nice, quadruple family barbecue in the Taylors’ garden.

Well, it was mostly Harold, Bomi and the boys fiddling around the grill and trying to make it work, while the mothers sat back, gossiping and giggling like a bunch of teenagers themselves.

’’Just look at them.” Joan laughed, shaking her head in disbelief as Lillian snorted with laughter. ’’I haven’t heard my Mum laugh like that, like, probably ever. Maybe on last New Year’s Eve when she got a little drunk.”

’’You know what? They deserve to just relax and have some fun.” Freddie said, curling up against Joan’s side on the sunbed they were sharing. ’’They pretty much work their ass off for us, all the time.”

’’Reaching adulthood really changes your perspective on a lot of things, huh?” Brianna chuckled, propping her chin up on Regina’s shoulder with a smile.

’’We used to think that our parents were mean when they disciplined us, or when they didn’t have enough time for us because of work. Now, it seems to all click. They did everything in their power so we would grow up nice.”

’’You big sap.” Regina cooed, pressing a kiss onto Brianna’s cheek when she snorted and rolled her eyes. Regina giggled, lightly bopping her on the nose to wipe the frown off her face.

’’It’s not a bad thing.” Regina promised with a grin. ’’You know I like it when you’re being a sap. And also, you’re right.”

She glanced towards her Mum, smiling widely when Winifred had to wipe her tears that spilled out from laughing so hard. It was so amazing to see her so relieved, so open and calm, laughing and joking around unabashedly and without constantly glancing over her shoulders to check if her husband was about to scream at her. The scared, intimidated Winifred was replaced by that giggly, chittery woman, and it absolutely warmed Regina’s heart.

’’I don’t think she had many friends while Michael was around.” Regina stated, watching as Winifred showed something to Jer on her phone with an excited squeal. She has taken to calling Michael by his name, instead of referring to him as her Dad: he never really was, no matter that they were related by blood. He has never acted as a real father, never cared for and supported his children or his wife, so why should Regina keep letting him own that title that he didn’t even deserve? It was strange at first, the name slipping out on accident, but it quickly grew on both her and Clark; it was time to fully let go of that shadow that kept looming over them- and by letting go of Michael as a father, they made the first step of letting go of him completely, shutting him out like he was a mere stranger, someone they only knew in passing. It was the slow, but steady process of healing.

’’He never really let her socialize with anyone.” Regina continued, feeling a little stab at the memory- but it quickly dissipated when Winifred laughed again.

’’Classic abuse.” Joan huffed, shaking her head. ’’I don’t care what anyone says, we did the right thing when we beat him up.”

Regina laughed heartily, reaching over to give Joan a high-five. ’’Totally. I’m never going to forget that day. The way you stood on top of the stairs, Bri, like an amazon, ready to strike… and when you kicked him in the back, Joan, how iconic! And Freddie, I keep thinking about the way you stabbed him in the ass with those scissors, and I laugh everytime I remember that!”

Freddie grinned, pushing her sunglasses up on her head and giving Regina a wink. ’’Call that move my magnum opus, darling.”

Brianna grinned, but it quickly melted off her face when she saw Harold nearly dropping the eggplant into the open fire. She gently pushed Regina off her lap, running to save the vegetable from a torturous death.

’’I’m sorry, he only knows how to deal with meat.” Brianna mocked, and Harold stuck his tongue out at her, giving his daughter a playful swat.

’’Alright then, you get to play with the veggies.” Harold announced with a dramatic gesture, handing Brianna the skewer.

’’Oh, someone’s got roped in for the work.” Clark teased, and Brianna playfully threatened him with the skewer, holding it like a sword.

’’Someone has to work instead of your clumsy ass.” Brianna teased, poking at a sad, blackened meet on the grill. ’’Is that your doing?”

’’No, that was Julian.” Clark said, and Julian gasped, throwing a napkin at him.

’’You’re such a traitor!”

’’Alright, I’m gonna go help them.” Joan chuckled, kissing Freddie on the cheek before slipping off the sunbed, joining the chaotic bunch by the grill.

’’Oh, yes.” Regina grinned, leaning back comfortably as she watched Brianna hovering around the grill, chasing away everyone who dared touch her precious grill vegetables. ’’This is the life, Freddie. Just reclining, sipping home-made lemonade and watching your girl work.”

’’You’re telling me?” Freddie teased, whistling lowly when Joan bent over for something. ’’I could watch this scene forever.”

Regina laughed, lifting her glass and playfully clinking it to Freddie’s own, making her friend giggle softly.

’’God, remember when you didn’t want to admit your crush on Joan, and called her an awkward dingus? And now, you are practically married to her.”

Freddie blushed, swatting at Regina with her straw, though the smile on her face was bright.

’’Maybe one day.” She said dreamily, watching as Joan helped her brother deal with the grill. Regina followed her eyes and smiled knowingly before she glanced at Brianna, who was currently trying to make sure that neither Kareem or Clark would get third-degree burns, while Bomi made sure she wouldn’t either.

’’And I used to hate Brianna so much.” Regina chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. ’’If someone told me that hey, one day you’re going to be madly in love with this girl, and you’re going to have family barbecues with her parents, I would have either slapped them or just laughed in their face.”

’’Well, we have nothing to complain about.” Freddie said, laying her head on Regina’s shoulder to continue watching the domestic scene. ’’I was certain that our last year is going to be awful, and look where we are now.”

’’Reminiscing, are we?”

They looked up and saw Jer smiling down at them, looking extremely proud for some reason.

’’You know, we were just talking about how amazing it is, that you guys are such great friends, and that you are all in love, and everything is so great. The girls and I are so proud of you.”

’’The girls?” Freddie chuckled, nodding towards Winifred, Lillian and Ruth. Jer shrugged with a cheeky smile, getting another beer and trodding back to her friends.

’’Your Mum is adorable.” Regina laughed, and Freddie rolled her eyes, though her smile was quite fond.

’’I think we’re done! And, let’s hope that everything is fit for human consumption!” Bomi laughed, waving everyone over.

Most of the food turned out quite great- though the boys did burn some so much, that is was non-salvagable. Brianna was utterly proud of her vegetables, constantly teasing Harold over his lack of skills on the topic.

Joan has learned from her mistakes from the day she nearly died in the Bulsara-house after tasting their food, so she politely avoided everything that was spiced by Bomi.

Freddie, Regina, Joan and Brianna kept grinning at each other over their plates, all of them thinking the same thing: that as rocky their start was, everything was going so well and smooth now.

Now, they just had to save Clark who did try Bomi’s traditional food and was currently burning up, and then, it will really be perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Clark, though.


	46. Chapter 46

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Important events require important gestures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter dripping from fluff- also, can you believe that only a few more chapters to go, and it's the end? :o

If there was one thing that made the last year one of the most exciting and awaited time in most high school students’ lives, it was definitely, without a doubt, the premise of Prom Night. No one could be truly neutral when it came to that big, closing event: some hated the hassle, some were desperate because they didn’t know who to bring, some were excited, some were nervous and some of them practically lost their mind over it, going out of their way and preparing for it months prior.

It was a great oppurtinity to confess to your crush, and impress your sweetheart if you already had one.

And impress, Joan and Brianna definitely wanted.

They sat down together and started brainstorming on how to make the big question truly memorable: a simple ’’would you go to Prom with me?” just wouldn’t cut it. There had to be a more grandiose, more romantic way of doing so.

’’Is serenading cliche?” Brianna asked as they sat with Joan on her bed, planning it out. ’’I was thinking on standing under Regina’s window and playing the guitar for her. Maybe singing too.”

’’It is cliche.” Joan admitted, leaning back on the bed and grinning up at the spluttering Brianna. ’’But that’s not necessarily wrong.”

’’Look at us.” Brianna laughed, playfully swatting at Joan’s knee. ’’Us, saying that cliches are not bad. We used to vomit over romantic movies.”

’’I think I always secretly loved them, I just didn’t want to be like ’other girls’. God, no wonder everyone hated us.” Joan chuckled, shaking her head at the memories. Their desperate attempts to seem ’’edgy”, to be ’’above” of an average teenage girl seemed pretty much ridiculous, looking back on it with a slightly more mature brain and hearts full of love. Maybe this revelation came a little late, but hey, it’s always better late than never!

’’And now we’re preparing for Prom.” Brianna added, her eyes softening. ’’I used to think that it was stupid. Now I can’t wait to dance with Regina.”

’’You two might be elected as Prom Queens.” Joan teased, making Brianna blush and elbow at her slightly.

’’Hush. I don’t wanna be Prom Queen. I just want a nice evening with my friends and my girlfriend.”

’’I feel you.” Joan said softly, her lips curling into a dreamy little smile. She could see it all too vividly, them having fun and dancing until their feet hurt, kissing their lovers and saying goodbye to all these years with nothing but happiness and gratitude. God, it really sounded way too cliche, and yet, Joan couldn’t find it in herself to be weirded out by it. She was just as excited about that night as Brianna was; she couldn’t wait to see Freddie in her gorgeous dress- she had no doubt her girlfriend would steal the show from everyone, as usual-, and to sway with her to some slow, cheesy music.

Now they just had to figure out a way to ask them out, and all will be fine.

’’I wrote a song.” Freddie announced, beaming from ear to ear. She waved the paper around with such excitement, that Regina couldn’t help but coo at her friend.

’’You’re gonna ask Joan to prom with a song?” She asked, and Freddie blushed immediately, ducking her head sheepishly.

’’Is that a stupid idea?” She asked quietly, and Regina shook her head, giving her a grin.

’’No, it’s cute.”

Freddie’s eyes immediately lit up, looking like sunshine personified as she skimmed through the lyrics that she perfected a few days ago. She had been working on it for quite a while, wanting to present it to her girlfriend- now, it seemed like it could totally work as a promposal song.

’’What are you planning?” Freddie asked, looking back up at Regina who smiled cheekily.

’’I found a nice lacy set, so to speak.”

’’Ah.” Freddie laughed, shaking her head, but her grin was bright and wide. ’’You’re gonna ask Brianna out with your tits?”

’’Hey, I have really nice tits.” Regina huffed, chucking a pillow at Freddie, making her shriek with laughter. ’’Or is that too crude?” She asked, her voice a little more uncertain, and Freddie shook her head with a smile.

’’I’m pretty sure Brianna is going to love it. If not, she is an idiot.”

Regina giggled, blushing softly. Freddie plopped down on the bed next to her, laying her head on her shoulder like she always did, cuddling up to her friend who wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer.

’’I can’t wait for Prom.” Freddie sighed happily, feeling her skin tingle with excitement. Considering the people she used to date, she did have her doubts if she would be able to bring someone she really loved to Prom. It seemed like real love would never find her- it didn’t work out with Jenny, and then everyone else just pretty much used her. Now, she had someone she truly loved and who loved her back without conditions, whom Freddie could trust would never betray her; the real love she always dreamt about.

’’Me neither.” Regina replied, her eyes bright. ’’This year was the biggest rollercoaster of my life, and you know what? I think it’s coming to a fairly nice end.”

’’It’s not just fairly nice.” Freddie corrected her softly, her smile widening.

’’It’s the best ending possible.”

In fact, they should have probably expected for their promposals to clash with each other.

Just when Regina was done pulling her clothes over the ’’promposal” lingerie she picked for the big occassion, she heard soft music from outside.

At first, she didn’t comprehend what it was, didn’t think that it was her girlfriend. Only thing she knew, is that someone was playing acoustic guitar beautifully, and the music was coming from a very small distance- meaning that whoever it was, they were standing right under Regina’s window.

She walked over to the window, the soft melody pulling her closer and making her heart flutter. She pulled the curtains aside and opened the window, clamping a hand over her mouth not to scream when she spotted Brianna standing in their garden, strumming away on her guitar and smiling up at her.

’’Bri!” Regina breathed, leaning out with her cheeks pink. Brianna blushed too, but her fingers never faltered on the strings.

’’I was thinking about singing too.” Brianna said, her lips curling into a shy little smile. ’’But then I figured it’s better if I just play for you.”

Regina giggled, propping her chin up on her hands as she listened to Brianna. She was once again absolutely awestruck by her skills: she played so easily like she was born for this, like she was made to pluck on the strings of the guitar, and on the strings of Regina’s heart with it.

She wasn’t too phased out over the fact when a few tears gathered in her eyes by the time the last accords of ’’Hear Comes The Sun” by The Beatles, the very first song they played together in Regina’s garage faded out, and Brianna looked up with another soft smile. Hell- her girlfriend was so talented, and so surpisingly romantic, of course it made her tear up a little bit!

’’Regina, would you go to Prom with me?” Brianna asked, and Regina giggled, nodding so hard it almost made her head hurt.

’’Yes, of course!” Regina yelled back, feeling her heart nearly bursting with happiness. After that, she couldn’t really ask Brianna out- but she could still say thank you to that gorgeous performance in her own, special way…

’’Come up here.” Regina said with a wide grin, making Brianna perk up instantly. ’’I want to thank you for this.”

Brianna whistled and grinned, and Regina laughed in surpise as she made a mad dash towards the entrance. She was up in Regina’s room in a flash, not even wheezing like usual after running, all too ready to unwrap her well-deserved surprise.

It was kind of strange, that Freddie hasn’t seen her cat, Delilah, in a few hours. She usually preferred napping on Freddie’s bed or in her lap, and just very rarely hid-but for some reason, the cat decided she wouldn’t come out today, and it made Freddie a little anxious.

Just when she came to the conclusion that it was time to send out a search party for the seemingly lost cat, Kareem knocked on her door.

’’Hey, Freddie.” He said, poking his head in. ’’Delilah is back.”

Freddie let out a relieved sigh, rising to her feet quickly. ’’Thank God. I thought my baby was lost forever!”

’’Yeah, uhm… there’s something in her mouth, you might wanna check it.” Kareem said, and Freddie’s heart immediately dropped.

’’In her mouth?” She asked, feeling her panic rise. If not seeing her precious pet for hours wasn’t enough terror already, now she would have to deal with her getting sick, too!?

’’She’s in the living room, come on.” Kareem said, grabbing onto Freddie’s hand and practically dragging her down the stairs and into the living room.

Delilah was indeed sitting in the middle of the room, holding a piece of paper in her mouth. Freddie bent down to check what it was, and she gasped when she saw the word ’’Prom?” written on it.

’’God…” Freddie gasped, holding the paper in shaky hands. She couldn’t care in the slightest that Delilah drooled over it: it was the most gorgeous thing she has laid her eyes on today so far.

She saw something even more gorgeous when Joan emerged from behind a cupboard she used as her hiding spot, giving Freddie a shy smile.

’’So, what’s your answer?” Joan asked softly, and Freddie squealed, throwing herself into Joan’s arms, absolutely showering her cheeks in kisses.

’’Yes, yes, yes, yes!” Freddie giggled, nearly knocking Joan over in her haste, but her girlfriend just laughed, wrapping her arms around her tight.

’’Kareem helped me train Delilah a little bit, so we can both thank him.” Joan said, smiling at Kareem who shrugged with a fond little smile.

’’Oh, it’s nothing. She only bit me like, five times.”

Freddie cooed, letting go of Joan for a second so she could hug her brother, making him grin proudly.

’’So…I guess I can’t ask you out now?” Freddi giggled nervously, and Joan stared in surprise.

’’You wanted to ask me out?”

’’Well, that’s a perk of same-sex relationships: we don’t need to listen to tradition.” Freddie giggled, scratching the back of her neck a little awkwardly. ’’So, yeah, there’s something for you…”

Needless to say, Joan was absolutely blown away by Freddie’s voice. She had a hard time keeping her eyes dry when Freddie sang the song she wrote for her, called ’’You Take My Breath Away”. Freddie was much shyer this time than when she sang in Regina’s garage, but her voice was ever so gorgeou and clear, feeling like a caress straight against Joan’s soul.

’’This was beautiful.” Joan breathed when Freddie was finished, pulling her into her arms and kissing her on the lips as deeply as she could muster.

By the end of the day, their groupchat- in which Brianna, Joan, Bernie and Dinah were also in now- absolutely blew up with pictures of the different promposals, all of them eager to share how their own sweetheart took their breath away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I wish we had Proms in my country too.


	47. Chapter 47

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Clique goes to hunt for outfits for Prom, but not everyone has an easy time picking theirs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I kind of suck with updates lately, I'm taking a lot of exams in the upcoming few weeks, so I don't have too much time to write.
> 
> I was quite excited about this chapter, I hope you will like it :)

The owner of the boutique was a cheerful elderly lady, somewhere around her mid-sixties, short and chubby, looking like everyone’s honorary grandma, a genuine, bright smile lighting up her rounded face as she climbed out from behind the counter. It could have easily been just the product of her sensing some good cash flowing in, considering a small horde of students just swarmed into her shop, very obviously hunting for outfits for their Prom- otherwise, they wouldn’t have come to a boutique called ’’PromRose”, after all; but she genuinely seemed like a kind lady, so whether she was excited about the great purchase or if it was her day to day attitude, she warmed everyone’s hearts right away.

’’Hello, there, younglings.” She greeted them gleefully, clapping her hands as she looked over all of them. ’’So many lovely Dears in one place, I’m sure you will all easily find something to your liking!”

Freddie blushed softly when the lady- Rose, as they have learned- sent her a smile. Sometimes it was still hard to believe that people found her genuinely beautiful, even the ones who didn’t just shower her in compliments so they could get inside her pants. It was a warming, and very liberating feeling: truth be told, her self-esteem has improved a lot since she started dating Joan.

’’What are we imagining?” Rose asked, leading them further into the shop, showing off the piles and racks with a grand gesture. ’’Traditional? Bold? Long, flowy gowns or tight-fitting mini dresses? I’m keeping up with the fashion trends, there’s everything!”

Regina chuckled softly, taking in all the outfits that spread out before their eyes. Fashion was always very important to her- in fact, she was planning on making it in the industry after graduation-, and now she was happily drowning in all the colors and materials, like a wide-eyed Alice in Wonderland.

’’I guess we’re just gonna browse a little, and then we will decide.” She said softly, and Rose nodded, that sunny smile still plastered to her face.

’’Sure thing, sweetheart. I’ll be in close distance if you need me!”

With that, she trodded back behind the counter, leaving the group behind to wander around and discover everything to their heart’s content.

’’I don’t even know where to start.” Brianna laughed, looking just as bewildered as the rest of them. The boutique seemed endless: female clothing took up most part of it, but there was a smaller section of male clothing too, a shiny, colorful candyland for everyone.

’’Well, if there’s one thing for sure, I want something that will put emphasis on my gorgeous tits.” Etta announced matter-of-factly, making Dinah blush heavily next to her.

’’You would look great in everything.” She chirped, and Etta grinned, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips.

’’What about you, babe?”

’’Something colorful.” Dinah immediately said, grinning like a child at Christmas her eyes skimmed through the bolder options.

’’You’re from the Drama Club, I’m not surprised.” Freddie teased, making Dinah stick her tongue out at her playfully.

’’Well, what about you then, Freddie?” Regina asked, smoothing her palm over a gown that caught her fancy right away. It was quite daring: the dress was sparkling in a luxurious gold, cut out rather generously both at the cleavage and at the side, no doubt revealing a tasteful thigh of whoever would be wearing it. Brianna looked rather pink as she eyed the gown Regina was hung up on, and the blonde couldn’t help but smirk.

Freddie hummed, looking around the shop. Much like Regina, she also cared an awful lot about her appearance, and the dress couldn’t be anything less than perfect. The problem was, she truly had no idea what would be the best option.

Joan sensed her sudden anxiety, and she gave her hand a quick squeeze, sending her a reassuring smile.

’’Don’t stress about it.” She said, tucking a piece of hair behind Freddie’s ear. ’’You know you will look beautiful in anything.”

’’I just want to make the best possible choice.” Freddie replied, biting her lip as her eyes went back towards the racks. So many damn options, and yet, nothing was quite catching her fancy…

’’I’m wearing a suit.” Jenny announced, nodding towards the men’s section. ’’I hope they have very small sizes.”

’’You will look dashing in a suit.” Phoebe cooed, and Jenny wriggled her eyebrows at her playfully. Freddie couldn’t help but notice the way Joan’s eyes lit up, and she smiled.

’’Getting ideas, darling?” She purred, and Joan blushed, though there was a smirk playing on her lips.

’’I never really thought wearing suits as a girl was an option,” she explained, her eyes following Jenny as she started wandering around the suits rack with Bernie by her side. ’’I thought that I would have to wear a puffy dress, and that’s just…bleh.”

’’I cannot imagine you in a puffy dress.” Brianna chimed in, grinning at her friend. ’’Frankly, I think you would look great in a suit.”

’’Me too.” Freddie replied eagerly, sending Joan a rather wolfish grin. That expression was enough for Joan to decide that yes, a suit really did seem like the best option. She winked at her girlfriend before joining Bernie and Jenny, already quite excited about the prospect of bending gender norms a little bit. She was never exactly the most feminine girl in the traditional sense, but she never went outright butch before. Now, after spending enough time being friends with Jenny who didn’t give a single shit about what other people thought about her gender expression, she realized she could be a little bold, just for one night.

’’Phoebe, this is soooo your color.” Crystal grinned, plucking a light pink lacey gown off the rack, holding it up for her friend. ’’You look cute in pink.”

’’I don’t know.” Phoebe said quietly, biting her lip. She was a ballerina, which helped her self-confidence a lot, but still, she couldn’t help but feel insecure sometimes. Luckily, she had friends who wouldn’t let her dwell on it too much.

’’You do.” Etta grinned, throwing an arm around her shoulder and grinning up at her. ’’You are a damn sexy bitch, we all are. Let’s rock it.”

’’I second that!” Jenny yelled over her shoulder, and Phoebe laughed, blushing softly. Well, it was Prom, after all- she was allowed to feel gorgeous. And all her friends thought she was, along with her hot girlfriend, so really, what did it matter if she wasn’t a size-zero? Etta was chubby too, and it never phased her.

Freddie and Regina both sent her an encouraging grin, and Phoebe nodded, grabbing the dress from Crystal’s hands, who looked utterly pleased with herself.

’’Is wearing black for Prom weird?” Crystal asked, making her friends laugh and roll their eyes at her fondly.

’’You’re so typical, Crystal.” Regina chuckled, and Crystal shrugged, sending her a cheeky smile.

’’Not everyone’s a Princess.”

’’But you are a Princess.” Bernie cooed, blowing Crystal a kiss, making her blush and face-palm.

’’Don’t ruin my reputation, Sweetie Pie.”

’’You just called me Sweetie Pie, that’s not doing any of our reputations any good.” Bernie chuckled, and Crystal giggled, shrugging. Well, that was fair.

’’Are you sure you’re okay with not attending Prom at your own school?” Dinah asked softly, her voice sounding a little concerned. ’’It must be a little weird for you.”

Bernie shrugged, continuing to go through the racks with a giddy smile. ’’To be honest, I don’t have that many friends in my own school. The only person I used to be particularly close with is Etta, and then you guys came along, and I also fell in love. So, no, I’m actually thrilled to attend yours.”

’’Convincing the headmaster to let you in wasn’t easy, so you owe me.” Etta chimed in with a grin, and Bernie gave her a mock courtsy.

They spent almost the entire day trying on clothes, choosing one piece and then putting it back, browsing through all the options. By the end of the day, all of them chose something, except for Freddie.

She looked- and felt- about to have a mighty mental breakdown. No matter how many dresses she picked, none of them felt right. She tried on many yellow ones, and despite it being her favorite color, she just didn’t feel right in them. She tried on red and purple too- ’’they go very well with your skin tone, Dear”-, but still, as she turned this way and that, checking herself out from every angle, something just wasn’t right with any of them.

’’I thought this was going to be easier.” She sighed, raking her eyes over the latest dress she put on. It was a magnificent purple with daring cut-outs, and she did look great in it, but… it wasn’t really her, for some reason. It felt like she wasn’t really dressing up for herself, but for other people: she was always expected to be sexy, to really put herself out there, and she had no doubt it was once again expected of her. And sure, she did like to be sexy, especially when Joan nearly drooled over her, but still. She wanted something different, something that showed off that she wasn’t just a hot body that everyone thought she was, something that she learned along the way by being friends with these girls and falling in love with Joan. She needed something that would take everyone’s breath away, but not in the usual sense.

Just when Rose went to retrieve another dress for her, and her friends started reassuring her that she would find something to her liking, an idea sprung to her mind. Her eyes lit up, and her skin tingled with excitement.

’’I think I’m done here.” She announced with a grin, causing everyone to gasp.

’’But you haven’t picked anything.” Brianna said, but Freddie just shook her head, unable to stop grinning.

’’I want something different.” She said, looking herself over the mirror again. ’’And I know where to find it.”

She didn’t reply to the curious questions of ’where’?, and ’is there a boutique we don’t know about?”, she just kept grinning mysteriously. Prom Night was really the biggest thing in the lives of senior students: she had to go out with a bang.

They all (except for Freddie) purchased their outfits, chatting excitedly all the way home. They couldn’t wait to test their dresses and suits on the big night itself, shining like the stars they all were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt like I needed to touch upon Freddie's insecurities a little more- now we just have to find out what she came up with ;)


	48. Chapter 48

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> King has a great oppurtinity to show off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course I wouldn't just let King remain a garage band. Also, I didn't forget about that particular club these ladies joined, either ;)

Sometimes, oppurtinities really just sprung up like weed. Or a flower, rather. In this case, the oppurtinity was all but a gorgeous flower.

The LGBTQ club truly welcomed everyone with open arms- at first, Regina had her doubts. Overcoming years of internalized biphobia wasn’t easy, even after finally being able to come out, but the little group consisted of the nicest people she could even imagine, and there came the point when she was actually excited to attend their meetings.

And at one of their last meetings, that aforementioned oppurtinity arose.

’’Seriously, getting into a fight over some bagatel bullshit and then calling off the whole deal…” The president of the club, Alyssa grumbled, looking on the verge of a mighty mental breakdown. The group always had fun, sometimes almost therapeutic sessions, so seeing the president so stressed was alarming, to say the least.

’’What happened?” Brianna asked, and Alyssa scoffed, raking a hand through her hair anxiously.

’’Rainbow Bridge got into a fight over something stupid, and now they don’t wanna play. I mean people, this is our last year, and our very last senior gathering, why the hell did they need to kill each other now!?”

Regina and Brianna shared a confused look at Alyssa’s ranting. She noticed the puzzled looks on their faces, and she chuckled.

’’Geoff, Alistair and Kat formed a band, and they call themselves Rainbow Bridge. We wanted to have like, a send-off party for the seniors, and they were supposed to play, but now they decided they don’t want to, anymore.” She explained, rolling her eyes.

Regina felt her heart leap. Their little musical session in her garage wasn’t forgotten: they didn’t really have the oppurtinity to play together too many times since then, but they all enjoyed it- so, what if this was a reason for them to get the gears of King going again?

Brianna glanced at her, with a sparkle in her eyes, and Regina immediately knew she thought the same thing. Well, Brianna was a little bit of a show-off (though she had good reason to be; her guitar-playing could seriously wake the dead), so she definitely wouldn’t miss out on the chance of proving the whole school, that the weirdo could absolutely kill it on the stage. And King, as young and as half-formed as the whole concept was, was working. It could be great fun, they could make a real party. Going out with a bang, if you may.

Regina grinned before she looked back at Alyssa, feeling her heart give a hopeful little jolt as she blinked up at the other girl.

’’So, I assume you need a replacement.” She said, feeling her jaw ache with her wide smile. Alyssa arched and eyebrow at her in suprise, but she seemed intrigued.

’’Do you have any suggestions?” She asked, and Regina couldn’t help but giggle softly. She could practically feel Brianna grin widely next to her even without looking at her. Yes, now that was one hell of an idea. Something that could really crown all these years they spent here, especially the last one.

’’There’s a little band called King.” Regina smirked, and she could see Brianna nodding hastily out of the corner of her eye, her curls bouncing with it.

Alyssa hummed, her eyes twinkling with interest, and Regina could barely hold herself back from squealing.

’’I’m listening.” She said, and Regina and Brianna shared one last knowing grin before they opened their mouths at the same time, tumbling over each other’s words to explain.

’’This is going to be legendary, I’m telling you. Everyone will be speaking about this, years later!” Freddie squealed, looking like an overly excited puppy as she kept bouncing, yanking on Joan’s hand.

’’Rainbow Bridge who? All they need is King!”

Joan laughed softly, pulling her eager girlfriend down onto her lap to settle her, grinning over her shoulder and up at her friends.

’’We’re really doing this, huh?” She chuckled, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She didn’t even want to touch her bass after her father’s death, and now here she was, nearly bursting with happiness and excitement, just thinking about this impromptu gig they got. Regina couldn’t help but smile: in moments like these, it was almost painfully obvious how many obstacles they had to fight off. Grief, bullying, loneliness, abuse and a whole bunch of confusing feelings to top it all off. And now, they were getting ready to play a mini concert for the LGBTQ club that Regina didn’t even have any intention to join at first, and to the rest of the school that functioned as the stage for their dramatics over the course of the last year. It was definitely a wild ride, but every station was worth it in the end.

’’I can’t wait.” Brianna said, hugging her guitar close. ’’I thought we would remain a garage band!”

’’I didn’t.” Freddie said, stretching out over Joan’s lap languidly like a cat. ’’I knew we were meant to be a big deal, from the very start.”

’’Well, this is just a mini concert for a bunch of students.” Regina said, holding up her hand when Freddie started spluttering. ’’But it is a big deal, in a way.”

’’So, what are we going to sing?” Brianna asked, wrapping an arm around Regina’s shoulder and pressing a little kiss onto her cheek. ’’Should we remain retro?”

’’Every gay person loves retro.” Freddie mused, and Joan chuckled, ruffling her hair playfully.

’’It’s settled then, isn’t it?”

’’Well, I remember Freddie writing a song for you, Joan.” Regina smirked, and Freddie blushed heavily.

’’Oh, that’s…I don’t think people would be interested in that one.” She stuttered, and Joan cooed, nuzzling her neck lovingly.

’’Of course they would want to hear it.” She said softly. ’’They need to hear what an amazing songwriter you are.”

Freddie hummed softly, still blushing, though her lips were twitching into a small smile. ’’Well, I guess we really gotta show them.” She conceded, making Joan squeal happily.

’’Maybe we could all write something.” Regina suggested, twirling her drumsticks in her hands. Brianna sent her a look that was a mix between disbelief and excitement.

’’We only have like, a week until the performance.” Brianna said. ’’Do you think we could get anything done until then?”

’’I already have something forming in my head.” Regina said, blushing softly. It wasn’t even a real song idea at first, more like jotting a few thoughts down, but she could easily see those thoughts rearranged into rhymes, into a melody…

’’We could ask Etta to join in on a few songs.” Freddie suggested, sending Regina an encouraging smile when she saw the blush on her cheeks. ’’We don’t have to break our spines, darlings.”

’’We won’t.” Regina said, smiling when Brianna kissed the top of her head.

’’But we will tear the floor up, that’s for sure.”

It wasn’t easy, no need to lie about that. Writing songs proved to be much more difficult than any of them thought, trying to find a melody for them even more so, and then working together as a real team seemed almost impossible at first.

But they managed, of course they did. They spent so many time in Regina’s garage, working on their songs and rehearsing, that their parents even joked that they moved in there. Etta was thrilled about the oppurtinity to sing a duet with Freddie- ’’I’d rather be a solo artist, to be honest, but of course, my lovelies, of course!”, and slowly but surely, their mini concert seemed to be coming along nicely. King may be just a silly concept to some, but right now, it embodied their friendship, the love, happiness and peace that they all found since they became close. It was the symbol of a rough past left behind, the beating heart of their present, and the promise of the future that they wanted to spend together as well. 

It was the end of a journey, and the beginning of another one.

The audience wasn’t huge, obviously- there were still a few asshats that didn’t want to be associated with the LGBTQ club, according to Alyssa-, but there were just enough people to make the little group sweat anxiously.

’’God, what if we fuck it up?” Freddie asked, nervously chewing on her bottom lip. She peeked out from between the makeshift curtain that separated the ’’backstage” (courtesy of Dinah and the drama club), swallowing audibly.

’’It’s gonna be okay.” Brianna said, addressing Regina directly. She wasn’t fretting as hard as Freddie did, but the nerves were still radiating off her as she sat on an upturned box, fiddling with her hands.

’’We will smash it.” Etta added, patting Regina on the back gently. Regina looked up at them and smiled, taking a deep breath. It was going to be okay. They were fantastic together, and even if it wouldn’t end up being the concert of the century, then so what? It was just a send-off party, after all. And they were together, playing and singing and having fun with friends. Even if King would just remain a one-hit wonder, it was still, without a doubt, worth it.

’’Ladies and gentlemen, and non-binary friends,” they heard Alyssa’s voice from the stage that took up half the gym they held the concert in, ’’I hope everyone will have an amazing time tonight. I would like to introduce you to a little band, fresh out of the oven, for your viewing and hearing pleasure only. So, tonight, for the first time, let’s give it up for his majesty, King!”

The cheer from the audience was like a rope, pulling them out onto the stage. It was going to be okay, Regina kept repeating inside. She couldn’t help but grin as she waved at the audience with her drumsticks, to more excited cheers. Crystal, Bernie, Phoebe, Jenny and Dinah were in the first row as expected, yelling and whistling loudly, looking extremely proud.

Regina took her place behind her drumkit, and she looked at her friends again. Joan was staring at the crowd with wide eyes, Brianna kept chewing on her lip, and Freddie was visibly shaking. She could feel her palms growing clammy too.

’’Knock ’em dead.” Etta whispered from behind the curtains, and they all broke out into a huge grin, as they sent each other one last encouraging glance.

Then, Freddie’s voice rang through the room, and everyone’s breath got stuck in their throats.

The rhythm took them and washed all their worries away immediately: Regina was playing her own heartbeat on the drums, unable to stop grinning as the crowd clapped along to the beat. Joan was hopping in one place, looking utterly happy and proud as she laid down the bassline for Regina to build on. Brianna looked like a born rockstar, making the audience’s jaw drop as she tore at the strings, making her guitar sing. And Freddie, good lord. Everyone was eating out of the palms of her hands: if she wouldn’t end up as a professional ballet dancer, than being a singer would be another job she would be fantastic as.

They started with a lot of well-known retro numbers to warm up the crowd, and it went really well: everyone was dancing and singing along to the familiar tunes. It was definitely one hell of a send-off party: something that people would surely remember.

Everyone screamed and whistled when Etta joined them on stage, wrapping an arm around Freddie’s shoulder as they sang the next song together. Those two were born performers, no doubt. Both of them had a mighty voice and very strong stage-presence; nothing was awkward about this, even though this was their very first gig. Everything went so smoothly, it was almost too good to be true.

Then came the time for their original songs.

Etta left the stage to join their friends in the audience, encouraging the band as they got ready to show everyone what they had in their pockets still.

’You take my breath away’ stayed true to the name: everyone was staring, wide-eyed, swaying softly to the music. ’You’re My Best Friend’, penned down by Joan was a cute little sing that made everyone melt, and Brianna’s ’’country depression”, as Freddie jokingly called it, ’39’ made everyone tear up a little bit. They loved them. They made music together, not just covers, and the people enjoyed it. Wasn’t that a victory in itself?

Regina grew nervous as her own song started. ’Fight From The Inside’ wasn’t just a simple song: it was about the hell she lived through with her father. It was about breaking free, about fighting back, about not letting your past tie you down anymore. It was about surviving, and coming out on top in the end.

’I love you’ Brianna mouthed at her when she noticed the nervous look on Regina’s face, and Regina mouthed it back, feeling her heart swell several sizes. Her hands weren’t tied anymore, like the lyrics said: she was free, and she was free because of these people she was playing with a band in, and those people in the front row, cheering them on. None of them were tied to their past anymore: they all bled, they all fought, sometimes with each other, leaving scars on each other’s souls that took a lot of time to heal. But it was different now. Now, they only had to look forward, not back anymore. And even if they looked back, the pictures of the past weren’t dull anymore. They were colorful, something to cherish and laugh at. Just a few steps on this journey they took together, while learning to leave each other and themselves on the way.

King came through that night: everyone adored them. They gave their fellow students a beautiful goodbye gift, and they could finally show everyone, what they were capable of together:

Everything.


	49. Chapter 49

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reminiscing and promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, we're really reaching the end. It's insane.

The evenings were getting warmer, and the days were becoming more and more stressful as the senior students of Leroy Brown’s High were soon due to take their very last exams, which would determine whether their dreams were about to come true, or crushed into a million pieces. The final countdown, if you may. And then after that, it was finally the big event everyone was awaiting, Prom. Only a few more obstacles, and then they could have the biggest party of their life- marking the end of the high school experience once and for all, and pushing them straight into the arms of awaiting adulthood and the possibly even wilder college experience.

A bunch of students were lounging in the warm early summer evening, sitting on the porch of a small, friendly-looking house, huddled close together to have as much contact as it was possible. Graduating wasn’t the end of the world, and it definitely wasn’t bringing forth the end of their friendship either; still, there was a sense of finality in it all, that made them a little bit more affectionate as usual as they gathered together on the last day before their exams.

’’I think I’m gonna shit myself tomorrow.” Regina chuckled, her voice tinged with nerves. She didn’t have doubts that she would pass- she did have an awesome teacher, after all-, but it wasn’t going to be the smoothest of rides.

Brianna tutted softly, placing a comforting hand on her knee and giving it a squeeze, sending her girlfriend a reassuring smile.

’’You’ll be great.” She promised, leaning in to nuzzle Regina’s neck. ’’You’re well-prepared.”

’’Why, she had a Physics tutor or something?” Freddie teased, making the couple snort and flip her the bird simultaneously.

’’If you want to know, then yes, she did.” Brianna snickered, making Freddie chuckle. ’’In fact, Regina is now the biggest expert when it comes to thermodynamics.”

’’Er…let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Regina snorted softly, though she couldn’t help a smile. Brianna really did help her prepare as much as possible: what started out as torture for both of them at first, became the reason they were even together- that, in itself, was a victory. And, of course, it had positive results when it came to Regina’s education too. Her grades greatly increased after their lessons, and as nervous as she was now- as one would before their very final exams-, she still knew that passing those tests will be much easier now that a certain someone taught her the basics that she somehow missed before.

’’Besides, Central Saint Martins won’t need me to have a very high score on mathematical subjects. They just need to know that I have taste.”

’’Do you?” Crystal joked, and Regina lightly swatted at her, making her friend spill some of her beer down her pants, followed by an offended little yelp.

’’I’m the only one with real fashion sense here, just saying.” Regina replied in an overly posh accent, making her friends snicker and roll their eyes fondly.

’’Excuse me, I’m right here.” Freddie scoffed, puffing out her chest (to Joan’s biggest amusement) with a proud grin. ’’Though I won’t need to dress myself at the Royal Ballet, I will have costumes. Though we won’t let them dress us in horrible rags, right, Pheebs?”

’’Not a chance.” Phoebe grinned, leaning her head on Jenny’s shoulder and closing her eyes in bliss. ’’I really hope we will get in, Freddie. That would be a dream come true.”

’’Of course you will get in.” Jenny said, her voice full of determination. ’’You two are bloody amazing. They would be stupid not to give you a scholarship. The Royal ballet is waiting for you, with open arms!”

’’And guess who will be your biggest fangirl, once you’re on the big stage.” Joan murmured with a grin, pressing a kiss onto Freddie’s cheek and making her blush softly. ’’I’ll have a professional ballerina for a girlfriend, can you believe it?”

’’Sounds lovely.” Freddie smiled, burrowing closer to Joan. It really would be a dream come true, as Phoebe said: that was what she wanted, ever since she was a little girl lacing up her tiny ballet shoes for the first time. To spin and twirl around on the stage like a fragile little fairy, taking everyone’s breath away. It was sort of a re-claiming of her own body, in a way. People liked to slap the ’’slut” label on her and treat her like a piece of meat, but she was so much more than that. She was beauty, she was art. She was strength and softness, all rolled into one, all too ready to take on the world.

It was as if Etta was reading her mind, because she nudged her, flashing her a little smirk.

’’You still haven’t told us what you’re going to wear to Prom, you little asshat.”

’’I told you: it’s gonna be a surprise.” Freddie replied, smirking into her beer. Joan narrowed her eyes at her, trying to read her face and find the answer for the big question that has been keeping her up at night since Freddie all but stormed out of the boutique, claiming that she had a much better idea.

’’You’re gonna be the death of me.” She groaned, though she couldn’t keep the fondness out of her voice. She never would have thought it was possible to fall for someone so deeply, but it happened, and Joan couldn’t have been more pleased with the results. This girl hopped into her life and changed everything; Joan couldn’t imagine a future where she stopped loving Freddie. It was simply impossible: she could easily see herself coming home from a long day at work in accounting, shrugging off her suit jacket tiredly, then immediately lighting up as she would spot her prima ballerina stretching on the living room floor. There was only one way her life could go after it all, and that was being together with the love of her life.

’’They are so cheesy, aren’t they?” Regina whispered to Brianna as she watched Joan grinning at Freddie with heart eyes, while the latter giggled softly. Brianna smiled, burying her nose in Regina’s hair, breathing in her familiar peachy scent that she still couldn’t get enough of.

’’So are we.” She said, her jaw aching with her wide smile. She used to scorn at PDA and anything remotely romantic; it took her a long time to realize she didn’t have a problem with love at all, she was just jealous and desperately wanting someone who would love her exactly the way she is. To find that in her former nemesis was still surreal, but she got used to it quicker and easier than she thought she would. Regina was pretty much her everything now: she didn’t even want to think about those days when she wasn’t utterly in love with her. Sometimes those days didn’t even feel real anymore. Only the now, and the future they were facing seemed real. A present and a future spent together, hand in hand. No more obstacles: Regina was an out and proud bisexual, not haunted by her own demons anymore; her father would definitely stay in jail for quite many years, especially after the news that he assaulted a prison guard. Once an abuser, always an abuser. But at least that ensured he wouldn’t see the sunlight for long years. The restraints of the past were gone now: both Regina and Brianna were over their misconceptions and their stupid little conflicts. Nothing could stop them anymore, not final exams that would determine whether they could really become fashion designers or physics professors, not anything.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, sipping their drinks and spinning fond memories in their heads as they watched the Sun fully disappear on the horizon, giving place to the darkness that enveloped them like a huge silk blanket. It was darkness, but it wasn’t the alarming kind: it was just the promise of something new happening, something changing, but the most important things all staying the same. Just like how the Earth didn’t freeze whenever the night came down, their bond wouldn’t break just because they will leave high school. Love and friendship would definitely remain.

’’You know,” Bernie said, breaking the silence after a while, ’’I know I said it a lot, but I’m really grateful that I found you guys. We haven’t really spent too much time together, but it was enough for me to determine, that you are the best friends that I ever had.”

’’Don’t make me cry.” Etta chuckled, her eyes dangerously wet as she swatted at Bernie. Crystal cooed, cupping Bernie’s cheeks and pressing their lips together in a kiss, making him smile against her mouth.

’’It really was a nice final year, huh?” Dinah asked softly, lacing her fingers together with Etta’s who smiled, kissing her knuckles gently.

’’It was totally crazy.” Jenny chuckled, absent-mindedly playing with a lock of Phoebe’s hair, presumably to try and not break down crying from the sentimental emotions that flooded her. ’’But it was good.”

’’It was fantastic.” Phoebe corrected her softly, sending a smile towards Freddie who blinked her tears away and masking it as a lousy wink.

’’I love you all so much.” Freddie said, her grip on Joan’s arm tightening momentarily. Her girlfriend hummed, wrapping her arm around her shoulder and pulling her close, enveloping her in a warm embrace.

’’Why are you all getting so sappy? I thought we promised we won’t cry.” Regina laughed, wiping at her eyes. Brianna blinked rapidly next to her, though she was grinning from ear to ear.

’’I think we should make a promise.” She said, making everyone look up. Brianna looked over all of them, feeling her heart swell with love and gratitude for finding these amazing people, for having the chance to grow as a person, for having the oppurtinity to fall in love.

’’No matter what happens after we leave this school, we would truly stick together. No excuses.”

Joan smiled, reaching over Freddie and Regina to squeeze Brianna’s hand gently. ’’I like the way it sounds.”

’’Me too.” Freddie said, her smile growing wider. The rest all hummed in agreement, their faces bright with their grins.

’’And will King continue to thrive?” Regina asked with a grin. After the success of their first gig, it would have been stupid of them not to go on. Her friends clearly shared her opinion on the matter.

’’Oh, I’m absolutely in for it.” Joan chuckled, giving Regina a high-five when she raised her hand for it. ’’It really is time to change people’s minds about all-female bands, anyway. It’s definitely worth a try.”

’’Long may the King prosper, then!” Freddie chirped, raising her beer high. Regina, Brianna and Joan all clinked their own glasses against hers, before the rest of the group joined too, whooping and gushing about their upcoming success.

’’I mean, if your day-to-day jobs won’t work out, you could still get good money from that.” Crystal grinned. ’’I’m proud of you all. I’m proud of us.”

’’I will be even prouder once we passed those exams.” Brianna groaned, rolling her eyes. ’’I hate all the stress.”

’’But hey, after that, it’s Prom!” Dinah grinned, making everyone nod hastily in excitement.

’’Can’t wait for the rest of the journey with you all.” Joan said softly, sending them all a huge smile. It really has been a crazy ride, but it was far from over. By all means, it was just starting.

’’Group hug?” Bernie suggested, not even waiting for anyone’s responses before he grabbed everyone and pulled them all on top of one another, his action resulting in many shrieks and spilled drinks, before it all turned into good-natured laughter, as they all clinged together.

Well, who cares about getting sticky hands from the beers, when their future was beckoning them with the promise of love and friendship, of success and happiness?

Just a few more tests, and it will be right at the doorstep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda made myself emotional with this, I'm not gonna lie.


	50. Chapter 50

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prom Night has come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit. It's done. God, I am getting emotional: this was my biggest project so far, starting back in the fall of 2019. I would love to say a huge thank you to the anon who suggested the prompt of cheerleader!Regina falling for nerd!Brianna, and ballet dancer!Freddie falling for varsity player!Joan. This was a fantastic idea that escalated in my head, and thus, a whole universe was born. I hope that anon is still reading, or at least knows how grateful I am to them <333
> 
> I would also like to thank everyone who gave me any sort of feedback on this work- I wouldn't have been able to go on without you all, so thank you so, so much!! <33

Brianna seriously couldn’t remember the last time she had been so excited.

The day has come: the very last step on the journey, Prom Night. The major event that crowned the entire high school experience, and sent them off to be adults. It was simply insane; it’s almost like freshman year was just yesterday. But looking back on everything that had happened since then, it was obvious, how much time has really passed. Where was that awkard nerd now, who hated the world around her, always sitting in a corner and frowning at the more popular kids? She was just a fleeting memory now, a black and white picture of the past. That kid has grown to be a happy young woman, full of ambition and ready to take on the world with her friends and her lover by her side. A soon to be student at a prestigious college, listening to Astrophysics classes. This was always Brianna’s dream, even when she was a pretentious idiot who thought she was better than the rest, just because she wasn’t always at the center of attention. She still had the same dream, but she has changed a lot in the meantime, and definitely in the right way.

She pressed the doorbell to the Taylors’ household, feeling her heart thrumming hard inside her chest, and a giddy smile spreading on her lips. She couldn’t wait to see Regina all dressed up: she knew exactly what she would be wearing, but seeing her hastily pulling on her gown in the boutique’s dressing room and walking down the stairs fully accessorized, were two completely different things.

It was Clark, who opened the door, playfully whistling at the sight of Brianna who snickered, sticking her tongue out at her.

’’No, seriously.” Clark grinned, stepping aside to let her in. ’’You look really nice.”

’’Thank you.” Brianna smiled, looking down on herself. Truth be told, she really did pick her gown right: the cut was lower than what she would usually wear, and the dress hugged her form perfectly. The black dress covered in sparkling silver stars and moons was just too fitting for her; everyone affectionately groaned ’’nerd” at her when she picked it, but it wasn’t an insult anymore. She was a little quirky, but that’s exactly why Regina and her friends loved her. And pulling on a gown that literally screamed her interests out to the world? That was the quirkiest nerdy thing Brianna could think of, and she was proud of her choice.

Winifred appeared from the kitchen, clapping her hands in delight when she spotted Brianna. ’’My, you look beautiful!” She gasped, and Brianna blushed softly. She let Winifred coo over the full moons at the hem of her dress, glancing towards the stairs- and her heart swell.

Regina was standing on the top of the stairs, smiling brightly. She was the most beautiful thing that Brianna has ever laid her eyes on: she looked like an absolute star in her sparkly golden dress that accentuated her perfect figure. She couldn’t help but smirk at the sight of her thigh flashing under the side-cut as she moved. Regina picked perfectly: she was tastefully sexy, radiant and with just the perfect amount of ’’diva”. No wonder she got accepted to the fashion school: that outfit just screamed fashion sense.

’’You are gorgeous.” Brianna mused, stepping closer and reaching out her hand to help Regina down the last few steps. Regina smiled brightly, throwing her perfectly curled hair out of her face.

’’So are you.” She said, raking her eyes over Brianna’s dress. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes, and Brianna immediately knew what was coming.

’’Nerd.” Regina said softly, and Brianna snickered, leaning in to kiss her and shut her up. She slipped the wrist corsage onto Regina’s hand while Regina put on hers with a bright smile.

’’It almost feels like we have gotten married.” Regina teased, and Brianna grinned in the company of a wink.

’’Maybe someday.”

’’Let me take a few pictures.” Winifred cooed, and Regina rolled her eyes with a fond smile. She was utterly happy: she went through too much shit to believe in ’’dreams come true”, but now it seemed like it wasn’t a lie, after all. She got into her dream school, she was madly in love, her father was out of her life- what else would she need?

She happily laced her fingers together with Brianna’s, grinning into the camera with all the pride in the world.

’’You know what she is going to wear, don’t you?” Joan asked, poking Kareem in the ribs who huffed, slapping her hand away.

’’She’s literally coming in here in about two seconds. Can’t you just wait?” Kareem teased with a grin, and Joan groaned.

She was so excited, she barely had any sleep the night prior. She would never admit, but she sort of wrote a list of things that Freddie could end up wearing for the big night. Why the hell did she have to be so secretive for!? She didn’t even feel sorry for her girlfriend who has been sitting on pins and needles ever since Freddie stormed out of that boutique- she just smirked all mysteriously, and Joan was sure she would go mad. But now, she only had to wait just a few more seconds, and Freddie will reveal herself…

Joan was never really the type to gasp. If she saw something that she found beautiful or interesting, she usually just aknowledged it with a soft hum, and moved on. But now, she felt absolutely breathless as her girlfriend appeared in the doorway to the living room.

The first word that came to mind, was ’radiant’, as radiant as the literal Sun, and Joan felt just as warm as she took in the sight of Freddie standing before her in her bright yellow sari, the material flowing around her majestically. One of the sleeves was tight around the arms and in a deep blue color, the other billowy and brushing the ground as she moved. Tiny, intricate patterns adorned the clothing, around the arms, the chest, the hem and around the waist; dangly jewerly, and Freddie’s perfect, natural curls topped it all off, and Joan was sure she has fallen even deeper in love.

’’Holy…Freddie.” Joan breathed, unable to find the words for a few moments. Freddie giggled a little nervously, her cheeks turning pink.

’’I wanted something different.” She admitted quietly, fiddling with the bracelets on her wrist. ’’People always told me that I was dressing up for other people, that I need to put out…and I wanted to prove them wrong. You know, to…to show them that I can wear whatever the hell I want, and still feel sexy, even if it’s not for anyone’s liking…it’s a bit silly…”

Joan didn’t let her continue, because she pulled her into a deep kiss, her arms tight around Freddie’s waist. Freddie’s eyes fluttered close in relief, and she melted into her girlfriend’s arms happily.

’’You are always beautiful, but now…you absolutely took my breath away.” Joan grinned, letting the little inner joke slip out as her eyes roamed over the beautiful sari, making Freddie smile.

’’Yeah, she’s beautiful, but she can’t take all the credit.”

They whipped around to see Jer standing in the doorway, smiling at them brightly. Freddie laughed softly, reaching out for her mother and pulling her close.

’’Mama made it.” Freddie said, and Joan’s jaw dropped for a second time that night.

’’That’s…insane, it looks perfect!” Joan chirped, and Jer smirked proudly.

’’Well, someone else cleans up really nice, too.” Freddie mused, and now it was Joan’s turn to blush. She ended up wearing that burgundy suit that Freddie heavily advocated for, and seeing her reaction, it was clear she chose well.

’’Okay, I’ll leave you two now.” Jer chuckled. ’’Drive safe, Joan. And you two, have fun.”

’’We will.” Freddie said, sending Joan such a beautiful grin that it made her heart leap.

They met the rest of the Clique at the school, and said meeting ended up being a huge screaming-complimenting-fest.

’’Girrrl, you look fine as fuck!”

’’Freddie, oh my god, you are so beautiful, holy shit!”

’’Awww, those stars are so pretty!”

’’Oh, someone’s looking handsome tonight!”

Well, certainly none of them could complain about their choice of outfits, that was for sure: Etta looked like an absolute queen in her red gown, both the cleavage and the side-cut being quite generous; but if you got it flaunt it, right? Dinah wasn’t kidding when she said she would go for a colorful dress: she was decked out in literally all the colors of the rainbow, which earned her an affectionate ’’you couldn’t deny you’re a flaming lesbian even if you tried, darling” from Freddie. Phoebe chose that light pink lacy gown that Etta talked her into wearing, and it was a great choice, because she looked perfect on Jenny’s arms, who was simply dashing in her two-tone black and navy blue suit. Crystal kept it simple with her black gown as expected, but she spiced it up with a little bow around her waist, and an elegant black choker. Bernie also earned himself quite a few compliments, looking really handsome in his dark green suit, very polished with a flower in his breastpocket.

No wonder all the attention was on them as they walked inside the theatre room that the school assigned as the ballroom, precariously removing the chairs so that the students had room to dance.

’’I cannot believe we’re here.” Dinah sighed softly, linking her arms with Etta’s who grinned, taking in the flowery, sparkly decorations with bright eyes.

’’The big night, huh?”

’’I already want to dance.” Crystal grinned, and she didn’t even hesitate before pulling Bernie with her, who followed her with his usual, lovesick grin.

’’Not a bad idea.” Joan mused, offering her hand to Freddie with flourish, making her giggle before she happily placed her hand in Joan’s. Brianna followed suit and pulled Regina with her, joining the swaying couples on the dancefloor.

’’I’m happy.” Freddie announced as Joan twirled her around. ’’I didn’t even know if I would find someone to come to Prom with. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Joan.”

That wasn’t an exaggeration: Joan made her feel like no one else had before. She did have her fair share of awful relationships, but now, it finally seemed like all her hopes and dreams had come to fruition. She found her Princess charming in a slightly awkward varsity player who wanted to be an electrical engineer, and who was simply addicted to cheese. She found the weirdest girl in the whole of Leroy Brown’s High, and fell in love with her. It was pretty much as if a lightning has struck her when she developed a crush on Joan, but Freddie has never been so grateful for a storm before. As she looked up into Joan’s sparkling green eyes, she knew that this was the love of her life standing before her. No matter how odd of a couple many people thought they were, they worked out. And she had no doubt, that they would continue to do so.

They glanced towards their friends, and they both smiled. Regina looked perfectly at ease, all those years of frustration and anger nowhere to be seen as she giggled in Brianna’s arms, her eyes brighter than the stars on Brianna’s dress. Another odd couple, that was a perfect match, despite their rough past. They belonged together: the Moon and the Sun, so different, but unable to exist without one another. They complemented each other perfectly.

But then again, they were all odd couples. Jenny and Phoebe were so different too, and yet, they found each other. A lot of people had given them the stink eye, but they didn’t care. They loved each other too much for that. Etta and Dinah was also a pairing that didn’t seem like an obvious choice at first glance, and yet, they couldn’t have been more amazing together. Bernie and Crystal? Who would have thought? They were utterly in love, even though many people didn’t think they would work out.

Odd couples, and odd people, all of them. They were all losers in a way, no matter what their previous status used to be. And that’s why they worked so well together as couples, as friends. They all complemented each other.

’’I used to want to be the Prom Queen so hard.” Regina whispered, her head resting on Brianna’s shoulder as they swayed. ’’But I realized there were more important things in life than being popular.”

’’Yeah? Like what?” Brianna teased, and Regina chuckled, pressing their lips together.

’’Who are the designated drivers? ’Cause we need some celebratory champagne.” Bernie grinned, a little flushed from all the dancing, holding a giggling Crystal close.

’’Or, maybe we could all leave our cars here, and catch a cab home.” Jenny offered, already reaching for the glasses on the little table nearby.

’’Well, we only live once.” Etta grinned, filling her glass with a generous amount of champagne.

’’Let’s say a toast.” Regina offered, and the rest of the group hummed in agreement.

’’To this beautiful night.” Regina said, raising her glass high.

’’To being accepted into the schools we all wanted.” Brianna added, eliciting little cheers from her friends.

’’To love.” Freddie said, smiling up at Joan.

’’To change.” Joan replied, snaking an arm around Freddie’s waist.

’’To new friendships.” Bernie grinned, making the rest of them coo.

’’To old ones that always remained strong.” Crystal said, sounding a little choked up.

’’To the fun we had.” Dinah said softly, her glass joining the others.

’’To the fun we are going to have.” Etta smirked.

’’To always staying close to each other.” Phoebe said, her eyes a little teary.

’’To The Extended Clique.” Jenny finished them off with a grin, and they all cheered, clinking their glasses together before downing the cheap champagne.

The night was spent exactly how they imagined it would go: with a lot of fun, a lot of laughing, a few emotional moments- especially after some champagne-, and all in all, with a lot of love.

They had all changed, grown so much since the beginning of High School: they learned to love each other and themselves, they learned to accept, to bury hatchets; they learned how to open their arms instead of closing themselves off. They formed friendships, they fell in love, they fought and they made up, they cried and they laughed, they were scared and then they were brave, they slayed the dragon and rescued themselves; they lost many times, and they won even more times.

And perhaps a chapter was finished, but a whole new book was starting soon, with even more adventures to come.

Some things would change, but one thing would always remain: love- as strange and funny as it was- will never die. Whether it be romantic love, friendship, or the love of family, it would always be with them on their journey.

Just like how it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how did we like the very last chapter? :D

**Author's Note:**

> You can also find me on Tumblr at bambirex,
> 
> or,
> 
> bambirexwrites, where I take requests about fem!Queen so feel free to drop by and send me something! :))


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